Blood Sings
by Fireun Feather
Summary: For Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage, the day started out like any other. But then Jiraiya walked into his office with a teen that could have been Minato's clone and that bore the name of his vanished lover. His day just got very, very interesting. AU
1. Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 1

_**Arrival**_

Soft shafts of morning sunlight illuminated the forest. Pieces of blue sky could be seen through the boughs of the tall pines. Two young men walked the same small path between the trees, moving towards each other.

One wore his black hair swept back in a spiky style, except for some bangs that hung down to his chin, framing his face. The other had golden hair, like the sunlight surrounding them. His hair was spiky too, but his spikes were unruly and stuck out all over. He wore a black headband to keep them out of his face, the ends trailing down past his shoulders.

One had black eyes, so dark the pupils disappeared in them. They were blank, like still pools where you could not see past the surface and so could not be sure where the bottom was. The other had sky-blue eyes. Perfectly clear and endless. These pools were easy to see into, but again you couldn't be sure where the bottom was, because there _was_ no bottom.

The dark-haired one had pale skin and a blank expression on his slim, angular features. He wore a finely-made, dark blue yukata with the symbol of his family–a red and white fan–at the shoulders. He also wore a dark blue headband with a metal plate on his forehead. A stylized leaf with a swirl in the middle was etched into it. A katana hung at his left side. He moved along the path gracefully and calmly, barely disturbing the leaves of the bushes on either side.

The blonde had tan skin—at least, it was tan compared to the pale one—and two dark marks on each cheek that resembled whiskers. He was grinning and chewing on a piece of dried foxtail grass. The bushy end of the grass bounced up and down with the animated steps he took. He was wearing a less-finely-made black and orange yukata, tied with a simple black belt. A red swirl ending in a leaping flame was emblazoned on the back. He also had a katana at his left side and his right arm was out of his sleeve, crossed in front of him, the hand resting lightly on the hilt, the fingers tapping out a beat that matched his footfalls.

They came closer, and passed each other as if neither had seen the other. But, after exactly two steps, each paused. Each knew the other had stopped too. Neither turned their head. Neither changed their expression. If anything, the blonde's grin grew wider and the black-haired boy's face became more still. If such a thing were even possible.

The dark teen silently laid a hand on the sheath of his katana and slid the blade out slightly with his thumb. The blonde's fingers went from tapping on the handle of his sword to gripping it firmly, ready to draw it in an instant. The forest was quiet. The air was heavy.

_Any moment now…_

Suddenly, the tension snapped, but not in the way the two had expected. A bright yellow frog hopped onto a stone marker next to the path, between the two. It croaked, and the spell was broken. Each young man relaxed taut muscles. The blonde laughed–a loud, ringing sound–and the dark one smirked, but neither turned. They simply resumed their journeys.

The frog looked between the retreating figures, then hopped off the stone after the blonde.

* * *

Out of sight of the other, the blonde stopped and looked behind him at the frog.

"Well, come on," he said and the frog took a mighty leap to land on his head. "I expect Sensei wants me back?"

The frog said nothing, but then, he didn't have to.

* * *

The black-haired teen continued at his slow pace down the path, deep in thought.

_What was that?!_

He hadn't thought much of the blonde with his goofy grin until they had passed each other. At that moment, when they had been closest, shoulders almost touching, he had felt…something. He wasn't really sure what it was. It was familiar somehow, yet also utterly alien. A whisper in the back of his mind. A tingle across his skin. A fire sparking to life in the pit of his stomach. The air around him had suddenly felt heavy, thick. It had pressed on his shoulders and made it hard to breathe.

He had taken two more steps and stopped. He knew the blonde had stopped too. The feeling hadn't gone away.

The blonde had made no move, had not been threatening in any way. But he knew, he _knew_ with absolute certainty, that the blonde was dangerous. Despite his appearance to the contrary. And it was better to be cautious. So he had loosened his katana in the sheath and waited.

But the tension had been eased by a frog—a _frog _of all things!—and the feeling had disappeared like it had never been in the first place. The blonde had laughed and it was so incongruous with the feeling of danger just moments before, the dark teen had to smirk. It was the closest he ever came to a smile. He found himself smirking now, just thinking about it. That laugh…

He shook himself. What was he thinking? He most likely would never see the strange teen again. And if he did, he wasn't entirely certain that laughing is what he would be doing. He set his features into an expressionless mask and continued on his way.

* * *

The blonde arrived back at the camp he had stayed in the night before with his sensei. The man was waiting beneath a tree, his back resting against the trunk. His white hair was just as spiky and unruly as the blonde's, except the man's was much longer, falling in a ponytail almost to his knees. He kept it off his face with a wide metal band that read 'oil'. He had dark eyes and two red marks extending from them down his cheeks to his jaw line. He wore dark green pants and a matching uwagi shirt belted at his waist. Over that he wore a dark red sleeveless coat with two yellow circles at the shoulders. When standing, he was tall–over six feet, not counting the extra height his wooden clogs gave him–and broad-shouldered. Now, he was sitting hunched over his notebook, scribbling something. His pack was waiting by his side.

The blonde rolled his eyes at the man. His sensei was incredibly powerful and skilled in the ninja arts. He lived his life by a strict code—loyalty, duty, courage, and honor. All things the teen admired. But…those damn books of his…and the 'research' he conducted to write them…

"Oy! Ero-sennin," he called, stopping in front of the man. "You wanted me?" He pointed to the frog on top of his head.

The man, Jiraiya, didn't even look up. "It's time to go, Naruto," he said.

* * *

Naruto had packed his bag before he had left the camp that morning, so it was easy enough to grab it and head out. Before he had time to really think about where they were going and what was waiting for him at the end of their journey. Before he completely lost his nerve. He walked obediently behind his sensei, quiet as he tried, and failed, to quell his emotions.

Being quiet and obedient was not his usual state, but today was a special day. He had been both eagerly awaiting and dreading this day for all of his almost-sixteen years. Now that it was here…he didn't know what to think or how to feel. And meeting that person earlier…he hoped it was a good sign.

Jiraiya spoke up. "You're awfully quiet today."

Naruto moved up next to his teacher. "I have a lot on my mind," he replied.

"Something happen on your walk?" his sensei asked. Naruto often went on 'walks' as he called them. Jiraiya knew he did more than take a leisurely stroll through the forest, but he'd never been able to discover what. Naruto never volunteered information about them and resisted all Jiraiya's attempts to pry.

Naruto glanced at the man next to him, then looked back at the road, a small pout on his face. He knew the frog hadn't spoken to the Toad Sage before he had been thanked and dismissed, but…maybe the man _did_ have some sort of telepathic link with his summons. "I met the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki," he said reluctantly. He wasn't sure why exactly he was reluctant to mention it to Jiraiya. Nothing had happened; they hadn't even introduced themselves. And if he became a ninja of Konoha, surely they would meet eventually anyway? Of course they would, he would make sure of it. This person was half the reason he wanted to go to Konoha in the first place. Maybe that desire was the source of his unease. After all, Jiraiya didn't know anything about _that_.

His sensei's voice broke him out of his thoughts. "Really? How did you know it was him?"

Naruto slid his gaze over to the big man, looking at him out of the corner of his eyes in disbelief. What kind of a stupid question was that? _Of course_ he knew!

Jiraiya had the grace to look sheepish. "Okay, stupid question. Sorry," he said.

Naruto grinned. "It's ok, Ero-sennin," he said. "We just passed each other on the path. We didn't even speak." He left out the part about almost fighting. "I figured we'd be introduced eventually." The grin disappeared. "That is…if…" he trailed off. This was the other thing he was pensive about.

"If you are accepted into the village?" the Toad Sage finished for him. Naruto only nodded, keeping his eyes down. Jiraiya smiled again. "You will be. There is no doubt in my mind. Don't forget, the Hokage was my student too, so I know him very well."

Naruto nodded again, but this time he looked up, a determined expression on his face. "I have to be. I will be no use to my father if I am not welcome in his village."

Jiraiya's smile deepened at his tone. "Are you sure you don't want a _little_ information about him? Just so you are a little prepared?" he asked, not for the first time.

Naruto only shook his head, also not for the first time. "No. He is getting no warning, so I will have none either."

Jiraiya sighed. When Naruto had first met the Toad Sage, seven years ago, the big man had known in an instant who his father was—he had told Naruto they looked just alike. But Naruto refused any further information and he had sworn Jiraiya to secrecy as well. He would introduce himself to his father when, and only when, he could be of some 'use', as he put it. Jiraiya thought it was ridiculous, but Naruto had been adamant.

At any rate, that time had come. Jiraiya had deemed him ready and was taking him to Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in Leaves, to meet his father.

"Naruto," the Sannin asked, "how are you feeling?"

It was not an uncommon question, so Naruto wasn't really surprised by it. Learning to identify and control his emotions was part of his training, a part he still had trouble with. Jiraiya would ask him about his feelings in any new situation and this was most definitely a new situation. He frowned slightly, trying to sort through the chaos. "Excited, eager, nervous, and…something else," he finally replied. "I'm not sure, but I think it's fear."

Jiraiya cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Fear? That's a new one."

"I've felt it before," Naruto admitted. "But that was before I met you." He ignored Jiraiya's blatantly curious look. He was _not_ telling the Toad Sage about the last time he'd felt afraid. "It's...I don't like it." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "How can I feel emotions that are opposite each other at the same time?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, it is part of the _human_ condition," he said, softly. "Feelings follow no logic or order. They are often a jumble, a mess. The more complicated the situation, the more likely it is that we will feel conflicting emotions. And this is most certainly a complicated situation. Wouldn't you agree?" Naruto nodded, hanging on his sensei's every word. "That is why we must learn to deal with them. Take fear, for example. It is one of those emotions, like anger, that we can use to better ourselves, or that can overwhelm us and make us act stupidly."

"How do you do that? Make yourself better with fear?" Naruto asked, eyes wide, face serious.

"You must face what you fear, head on. When you have done so, it no longer holds power over you."

Naruto cracked a grin. He _liked_ facing things head on. "Well, that is what we are doing, ne?"

"Yes, yes it is," Jiraiya replied with a smile. "And soon. There are the gates of the village." He pointed ahead.

The pair had followed the road down from the mountains that surrounded Konoha and they now approached the west gates of the village. The gates stood, tall and green, open to let in traffic during the day, though they would be closed at night. The great wall they were a part of disappeared into the trees on either side. Naruto paused for a moment, drinking in the sight. His first glimpse of his father's village and the place he hoped he could call home. He smiled, ruthlessly suppressing the doubt that assailed him, and stepped forward again.

* * *

They entered the gates and Jiraiya moved to the side to give their names to the guards. Normally, he wouldn't even bother with the gates at all, let alone the guards, but since he was bringing an unknown person into the village, it was best to follow the protocol. He also wanted Naruto to have time to take in the village. They had learned his keen senses would need a few moments to adjust to the different stimuli of a city after being out in the forest for so long.

Noticing the blonde's awed expression, the guard with the bandage over his nose–Jiraiya could _never _remember his name–chuckled. "First time, huh?" he asked.

Jiraiya nodded. "We are heading to the Hokage's office now."

The guard gestured at the katana Naruto was wearing. "Going to apply to become a ninja?" Seeing the big man's nod, the guard continued. "Well, I'm sure anyone you see fit to nominate will have no problem with that at all."

The other guard–Jiraiya couldn't remember his name either–was still watching Naruto, but he looked more thoughtful. "What's his name again?" he asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the first guard replied.

"Hmmm…"

Jiraiya knew what the man was thinking, but to the guard's credit, he said nothing. Well, any halfway observant person would be able to put two and two together. Naruto really did look just like his father.

Jiraiya kept one eye on his student as they headed into the village. Naruto was glancing all around him, wide-eyed, mouth slightly open, taking everything in. The Toad Sage didn't miss the surprised glances and double-takes his student was getting from some of the citizens, especially the ninja that seemed to be everywhere here.

As they neared the Tower, Naruto's eyes came to rest on the great stone faces carved into the bluff behind the village. "Is that the Hokage Monument, sensei?" he asked. At Jiraiya's nod, he exclaimed, "That is so cool! I know you told me about them, but _seeing_ them is totally different!"

Jiraiya chuckled, but Naruto kept his eyes on the Monument. He studied the faces carefully, his gaze lingering longest on the last—the image of the Fourth, and current, Hokage.

Soon enough, they reached the wide front doors to the Hokage Tower. The guards waved Jiraiya through with a bow. He entered and proceeded up the stairs, Naruto at his heels. A rather lovely, dark-haired woman sitting at a desk came into view. The desk was placed on a wide landing with a few chairs scattered around as a waiting room of sorts.

"Ah, Jiraiya-sama!" she called when she caught sight of the tall man coming up the stairs. "Yondaime-sama is expecting you. You can leave your pack here; it will be taken to your room." Her gaze slid to Naruto, who was now visible behind his sensei, and her eyes widened, but she recovered well. "This must be the student you mentioned. I'll let him know you are here." She turned and entered a hallway opposite the stairs and was soon lost to sight.

Naruto looked at the Toad Sage. "Is my father well-known?" he asked, his expression pensive.

"Why do you ask?"

"People keep staring at me, or looking surprised."

"Aa. He is very well-known, and not just in this village," Jiraiya replied.

Naruto nodded. "Is that why you never took me with you to Iwa?" he asked softly.

Jiraiya looked at him for a long moment and nodded. Naruto let out the breath he'd been holding in a sigh. But before any more could be said, the woman returned.

She gestured to them. "Go right ahead. He's waiting for you," she said with a smile.

"Thank you, my dear," Jiraiya replied with a wink, while Naruto gave a small bow.

They walked down the hall. Jiraiya stopped in front of a set of closed double doors and turned to Naruto. He placed a hand on the teen's shoulder. The blonde looked up, surprised at the contact and grateful for the comfort of the warm, solid hand.

"Take a deep breath, Naruto," he said. When his student complied, he continued. "This is what you have been waiting for. You will do fine. He will accept you. Now, wait here, like we discussed."

Naruto nodded, concentrating on his breathing.

Jiraiya thought he should probably follow his own advice. His emotions were similar to Naruto's; he just hid them better. He was confident for his student's sake, but in the privacy of his own mind...well. The Hokage was a good man–kind, caring, and patient. But he was only human, and Jiraiya was about to drop one hell of an exploding tag on him. The Toad Sage could really only guess how he'd react.

Once Jiraiya had decided to bring Naruto to Konoha, he'd tried to prepare the Hokage as best he could without breaking his promise. He'd written letters to his old student describing his new one, dropping any hints he thought he could get away with. It wasn't much, to be honest, but it was something. Hopefully, it was _enough_.

Taking a deep breath himself, he opened the door.

* * *

Author's Note:

_Inspired by the end credits on Naruto Shippuden Episode 76 and "Naruto-A Time to Kill" fan art by Orin on Deviant Art. A link to the art can be found on my profile._

_Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated._

_This is going to be a pretty long story, so expect most chapters to be around the same length as this one. It will eventually be Naruto/Hinata and Sasuke/Sakura. However, Naruto will have a close relationship with Sasuke (and with Minato for that matter). But it is NOT Yaoi. I won't change the pairings either, so don't ask me to. _

_Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!_

_Edits made 12/10/2012_


	2. A Chance

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Chapter 2

**_A Chance_**

Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage, looked up from his desk as the door opened. A huge smile lit his features at the sight of his sensei, Jiraiya, the Toad Sage. He stood up and walked around his desk to hug the man. "Sensei!" he exclaimed. "I am glad to see you. How are you?"

Jiraiya returned the hug. "Oh, fine, fine, Minato. You?"

The Hokage was holding him at arm's length now, hands on his shoulders. "I'm well, except for this stupid paperwork," he replied, gesturing behind him, dropping his hands to his sides.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Why do you think I turned down the job?"

Minato laughed at that, but then got down to business. He leaned on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, now, sensei, your message said you had someone to introduce to me. Have you finally brought your student to Konoha?"

"Aa."

"I have to say, I'm intrigued. Why now?"

"He's ready now."

The Yondaime laughed. "I should hope so, after three years with a Sannin." He gestured to the door. "Bring him in. I've been anxious to meet your new student since you first wrote to me about him. Anyone you decided to take on must be special."

Jiraiya looked at him with an unreadable expression on his face, his earlier joviality gone. Minato wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt nervous. His palms were sweaty.

"Aa," the big man said softly. "He is, indeed, special." He raised his voice. "Naruto," he called, never taking his eyes from his other student's face.

Minato shot him a questioning glance at the name. Naruto…that was a name from Jiraiya's first book wasn't it? He was certain it was. He hadn't thought about that book in years, not since…he turned his mind abruptly from that train of thought and focused his eyes on the door. He had sensed the presence waiting there of course, and he was curious to meet this boy. Especially after what Jiraiya had said.

A young man, maybe fifteen or sixteen, walked in after a brief pause. His eyes were downcast and his gold, spiky hair stuck out in all directions, only restrained by a black headband. The Hokage blinked, his breath catching in his throat. The hair…it was very familiar hair.

_What...?_

Before he could get any further in his thoughts, the young man, Naruto, clenched his hands into fists and raised his head, looking directly at Minato. And Minato found he couldn't breathe at all.

Were it not for a few small differences, he could have been looking in a mirror. The boy's eyes were exactly the same shade of blue as his own, though the shape was different. The boy had wide, round eyes, while Minato's were narrower and slightly slanted. The boy's mouth was a little wider and he had four dark marks on his cheeks that resembled whiskers. But the shape of the face, the nose, the jaw line, they were all the same.

He was staring at the boy, and the boy was staring back, his face blank. But his eyes were full of something, some feeling, or maybe multiple feelings that Minato couldn't begin to identify in his own confused and shocked state. Minato didn't want to know what his own face looked like—it probably wasn't good. He should say something. He was the _Hokage_. There had to be a rational explanation for this. A reason why a boy who could be his double had just walked into his office, brought there by his teacher.

He tried to open his mouth, but found it was open already, so he closed it instead. His hands had fallen to his sides, bracing himself on the desk. He took in a great shuddering breath and tried again. His mouth opened properly this time, but nothing came out. Thankfully, Jiraiya decided to rescue him. Or at least, that's what he thought he was doing. It didn't actually help any.

"Minato, this is Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uzumaki…" the Hokage managed to croak out, sounding an awful lot like one of Jiraiya's toads. It would have been incredibly funny if it wasn't so damn serious.

"Aa," Jiraiya said softly. "Uzumaki."

Then the boy did something that neither of them expected. Minato thought he couldn't be more shocked, but he was wrong.

* * *

Jiraiya had disappeared into the office, leaving the door open for Naruto to enter when he was called. The boy stood, his eyes downcast, waiting.

_Breathe. Just breathe._

He fought to keep his emotions under control. He had never been so nervous—or was he afraid?—in his entire life. Not when his mother had left when he was four, not when he had been chased out of that town by a mob when he was six, not when he had stood in front of Jiraiya for the first time and asked to be his student when he was eight. No, none of those things compared to the feeling he felt now.

_Breathe. Just breathe. You're doing okay..._

"Sensei!"

And Naruto was undone. It was all he could do not to rush into the office and throw himself at the man's feet. He'd actually taken a step forward before he realized what he was doing and stopped himself.

That voice—it shivered across his skin and made his blood sing. He could feel it in his bones the same way he heard it with his ears. He shuddered, fighting to keep his instincts in check. He would do anything, _anything,_ that voice commanded him to do. If it told him to take his own katana and drive it through his heart, he would do so. In an instant. With a smile on his face.

He took another deep breath, which was a mistake. By now, the man's scent had wafted out the door and he got a huge nose- and mouth-full when he breathed. He bit his lip and clenched his fists. His body was shaking. He could smell the man, taste him in the back of his throat. It was warmth and spice and clean, fresh wind, and _home_. This man, his father—and there was absolutely no doubt in his mind _at all_ this man was his father—was his home. Anywhere this man was, Naruto would be too. That was all there was to it. Even his mother's scent had not affected him like this. She had truly made him to be his father's son.

With this thought, with this bone deep recognition, a feeling of calm spread through him. The anxiety and fear of rejection were still there–if anything they had doubled–but that was something he could face. His instincts receded and the desperate need to be near this man, to grovel at his feet, disappeared. In the back of his mind, he was proud of himself for maintaing his control through it all. The two in the office had no idea of his struggle. That was good, because they were talking about him. It had felt like ages while he fought the sensations overwhelming him, but in reality it was only a few moments.

His father laughed, and Naruto smiled a little at the sound. Perhaps it would be alright. As long as he didn't scare his father too much, at first…yes, perhaps it would be alright.

"—show him in. Anyone you decided to take on as a student must be special."

A pause. "Aa." Jiraiya was speaking softly, but Naruto had no trouble picking up his words. "He is, indeed, special." Naruto's smile grew a little wider, but then he schooled his features in a blank expression and relaxed his hands. "Naruto." His sensei had called. This was it. Time to face his fear. He took one more breath, being careful not to breathe too deeply, and entered the room.

He kept his eyes down, not daring to look up just yet at his father's face. The man was leaning on his desk, Jiraiya standing next to him. His father was wearing dark pants, the bottoms secured with bandages wrapped around his ankles like gaiters. They disappeared into the tops of his dark shinobi sandals. He was also wearing some sort of white coat with red flames along the bottom. Naruto thought it was really…cool. It would probably be even cooler when he got up the courage to look at the whole thing.

He heard his father's breath catch a little. He had noticed something—maybe their resemblance? Naruto clenched his fists. Enough of this. Face the fear head-on, Jiraiya had said. So he would. He raised his head and looked at the man in front of him. He stared for a moment. Ero-sennin had been right. He did look just like his dad.

When their eyes met, he felt another strong sensation. He did his best to suppress another shudder that ran through him. His vision seemed to grow sharper as he took in every tiny detail of the Hokage's face. Everything else in the room, in the world, disappeared for a moment. That was all the time it took, although again, it felt like an age. He knew the image of his father's face was seared into his memory, like his scent and the sound of his voice, and that he could recall it in perfect detail at any time. Three connections made, two to go.

The Hokage stared back at him, his mouth dropping open a little. His arms, which had been crossed in front of his chest, dropped to his sides and gripped the edge of his desk. He had on a dark long-sleeved shirt that was loosely encircled at his wrists and elbows with pale cord. Over that, he wore a dark green vest covered in pockets of different sizes and shapes. Over all was the white coat. It had short sleeves and was held on by a simple red cord below his collarbone. The high collar stood up around his chin. Yep, definitely cool. He had a blue headband tied around his forehead, the metal plate bearing the Leaf symbol Jiraiya had taught him.

His father was still staring at him. He had closed his mouth and seemed to be trying to say something, but it wasn't working very well. He looked shocked and confused. Completely understandable for someone in his situation. The Toad Sage spoke.

"Minato, this is Uzumaki Naruto," he said.

The name meant something to the Hokage. "Uzumaki…" he repeated, his voice hoarse.

"Hai. Uzumaki," Jiraiya replied.

The Hokage looked more confused. Naruto could see it. He had spent a long time—his entire life, actually—thinking about this moment. What he would do, what he would say. What his unknown father would do and say. He had run through every scenario he could conceive of over and over in his head. The confusion and shock on his father's face was more than he could bear. What his father needed at this moment was information. Naruto would provide it. He would explain everything to him, right now. Well, mostly everything.

Naruto lowered his eyes again and dropped to his knees. He sat back on his heels and leaned his torso forward, his palms pressed to the floor and his forehead resting between them. It was a bow of complete submission.

"Yondaime Hokage-ue," he began, using the most formal and respectful title he could think of. "As Jiraiya-sensei said, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. My mother's name is Uzumaki Kushina." Well, it wasn't her real name, but it was the name she had used when she was in Konoha. "I am her gift to you in recognition of your skills as a warrior and leader of your people. Please accept this humble token of her esteem and respect." He paused. Silence. He pressed on. "I know I can be of use to you, if given the chance. If you allow it, I will serve none but you until my dying day. Only say the word and I am yours to command. It is my purpose, my dream, to follow you, and to give up my life in your service if necessary."

There. He had said what he wanted to say. More silence. He struggled to control his trembling, his fear of rejection making a tight ball in the pit of his stomach and leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. _Please, please_, he pleaded, to any god who might be listening, _let him accept me!_

* * *

Minato stared at the boy at his feet, unsure what to think. He was trembling, obviously trying to control some strong emotion. Without seeing his face, Minato couldn't really tell what it was. But he thought it might be fear. Given the boy's words…He glanced at the white-haired man standing next to him. Jiraiya's eyebrows were just about lost under his forehead protector-the only sign that he was equally shocked at Naruto's actions and speech. Minato stood a few moments longer, before coming to a decision.

He dropped to his knees and grasped the boy's arms, lifting him up. Naruto gasped at the contact, but kept his eyes down as he shifted his knees closer to his father to keep from losing his balance. "Look at me," Minato commanded.

Naruto's eyes instantly lifted to his father's face, glassy from unshed tears.

"You are my son?" the older blonde asked. Naruto hadn't come right out and said it, but it was obvious enough. "Mine and Kushina's?"

Naruto nodded.

Minato pulled him into an embrace. Naruto gasped again, eyes wide, tears finally spilling down his cheeks. He managed to lift his arms and clutch at the back of his father's coat. His face he hid in his father's shoulder.

"I am sorry, Naruto," Minato said, his own voice thick with emotion. "She never told me, I never knew. She just disappeared. If I had known…I would have found you. Please forgive me."

Naruto pulled back a little, wiping his eyes with one hand. "It is alright Hokage-sama," he said. "A gift is supposed to be a surprise, ne?" A wry smile twisted his lips.

Minato stared at him again. Why did the boy keep referring to himself like that?

"Gift?" Minato finally managed to say, after what seemed like a long time. "Humble token?" It was hard enough trying to wrap his head around the fact that he had a son—a _son_!—but that this son truly thought of himself as a tool to be used by his father at his convenience? His speech implied he did. It was a completely alien way of thinking to Minato. He looked up at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya only shook his head. "I knew the boy wanted to be of 'use' to you, but I didn't realize it went this far. It must be an idea his mother gave him."

"Kushina said she was from the former Whirlpool Country. I didn't think they had such notions there."

Naruto looked uncomfortable, but spoke. "It is the greatest honor of my mother's people, to bestow a child on another, to blend energies with another to create something new. It signifies a great deal of respect and trust. Such a gift is rare, and to be bestowed on a—" he broke off, and looked at Jiraiya, then looked down again, biting his lip.

"It's alright, Naruto," Jiraiya said smoothly. "I think one surprise for now, hmmm? We'll leave the rest of the explanations for another time."

Naruto nodded, looking slightly relieved. Minato glanced between the two. He was obviously missing something, but was content to trust his sensei and his newly-found son. For the moment anyway.

"Naruto," he said, "come, sit in the chair. I have some other questions for you." He rose to his feet and pulled the boy up with him. He gestured to one of the chairs off to the side of the room. The boy settled in, somewhat warily, Minato thought, while he took the chair next to him. He moved it forward so his knees were almost touching his son's and he leaned forwards. He wanted to be as close as possible. Jiraiya sat on the couch along the wall, facing the two.

"Naruto, how old are you?" the Hokage asked, watching his son's face closely.

"Fifteen. Almost sixteen," the boy replied calmly, a slight smile on his face.

"When is your birthday?" Minato asked, the question just occurring to him.

"October 10th," Naruto replied. His expression hadn't changed, but his body had stiffened slightly and he'd hesitated a moment before he answered.

Minato blinked. That was a very significant date in Konoha. Judging by Naruto's reaction, he was aware of it. The Hokage smiled softly, hoping to ease his son's tension. "It's coming up soon, then," was all he said.

As he had hoped, Naruto relaxed a little and nodded. But Minato's next question had him tense again.

"Where is your mother?" Minato had long ago given up hope of ever seeing his beloved Kushina again, and being Hokage, he really couldn't leave the village to search for her as he had wanted to do. But he still missed her deeply. If there was a chance he could see her again…

Naruto looked down, his smile gone. "I don't know," he said quietly.

"Don't know?" Minato repeated, surprise in his voice. "When was the last time you saw her?"

"She left when I was four."

Silence.

Minato was _angry_. His eyes narrowed at his son and his hands gripped the arms of his chair. "She left you when you were _four_?" he hissed. How could she do that? The Kushina he knew would never do that!

Naruto reached a hand out, hesitantly, and placed it on top of his father's. "Please don't be angry with her," he said. "It is her way. It is the way of all her people. Actually, it's surprising she stayed with me as long as she did."

His father relaxed a little, but was not to be so easily placated. "Why didn't she leave you with me, then? I would have been glad…no, _overjoyed_ to take you."

Naruto shook his head a little and took his hand back. "That is by no means assured," he muttered. But before Minato could protest, he continued. "It is simply the way things are done," he explained. "I had to be ready and able to be of service before I came here."

Minato took a deep breath. "I don't pretend to understand that way of thinking at all, Naruto, but I will accept your explanation," he said. "For the moment." Naruto looked relieved again. "So what did you do after she left?"

Naruto shrugged. "Okaa-sama trained me to some extent before she left, but there were some things she couldn't help me with. She suggested I find Jiraiya-sensei. She said he might train me, or could point me in the direction of someone who would. So I traveled around, searching for him."

"When did you find him?"

"When I was eight."

Another silence. "You were alone, traveling on your own, for four _years_?" Minato was incredulous.

"Hai. Okaa-sama made sure I could take care of myself. And I didn't mind being alone. I inherited some of her…antisocial tendencies," Naruto replied.

"But you were a child!" Minato exclaimed. He didn't quite believe the last statement Naruto had made.

His son smiled ruefully. "I was never a child, Hokage-sama. And that is all in the past. I survived, I found Ero-sennin, and here I am."

Minato paused, his train of thought disrupted by the name Naruto had used. "Ero-sennin?"

Naruto looked sheepish and raised one hand to rub the back of his head in a nervous gesture. "Ano," he said. "It's just a nickname…"

He was interrupted by the Hokage's laughter. "I think it's perfect!" he crowed.

"Hey!" Jiraiya interjected. He had been sitting quietly, watching the two interact. "Don't you start using it, too. It's disrespectful!"

Minato only shook a finger at the Toad Sage. "The truth hurts, eh, Ero-sennin?" he teased. But then his expression turned fierce. "Besides, I owe you a little something for keeping the fact that _I have a son_ from me for _seven_ years! You only told me you had a new student _three_ years ago!"

The man on the couch shifted uncomfortably. "I knew you wouldn't be happy about that. I only hope you forgive me. Naruto was adamant on that point."

Minato turned back to the boy beside him. Naruto nodded. "When Jiraiya-sensei told me he knew who my father was, I swore him to secrecy. I refused to let him tell you until I was ready to enter your service. A gift is no good if it is a burden instead of beneficial."

Minato shook his head a little. Again with those words. Gift, burden. He could see his son would not stop looking at himself that way overnight. Well, he had time to change his son's view. "And you feel you are ready now? That you will not be a burden?"

Naruto nodded. "Jiraiya-sensei said it was time. I know I still have things to learn, but he said that I know enough to be helpful to you."

Minato sighed. He could not get over his son's attitude. "You said your mother's people regard all children as gifts? That they are rare? And most are left alone before they are four?" Naruto nodded, his face blank. "It's no wonder the Whirlpool Country doesn't exist anymore," the Yondaime mumbled. There was a brief silence before another question came to him. "Why did she name you Naruto?"

Naruto smiled slightly again. "She told me it was the name of a character in a book that sensei wrote. This character had many qualities you both admired. She said that you told her if you ever had a son, you would want him to be like the character in the book."

Minato smiled broadly. Naruto's words brought back the memories he had suppressed earlier. Memories of Kushina and himself reading the book together, engrossed in the exploits of the ninja, Naruto. He remembered telling her how proud he would be to have a son like the ninja in the book. So she had remembered, and named their son to honor his desire.

His son had a big smile on his face too, the copy of Minato's own. He could see his father was happy and it made him happy. Minato had to laugh.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," the Hokage called.

His assistant stuck her head through the door. "Pardon the intrusion Hokage-sama," she began, "but your meeting is in ten minutes and a few of the clan heads have arrived."

"Damn," Minato swore. "I forgot about that." He had absolutely no desire to sit in a stupid meeting and listen to bickering clan heads. All he wanted to do was sit with this splendid boy beside him and catch up on all the years he had missed. He didn't want to miss another second. But, he had a job to do. He turned to his son. "I'm sorry, Naruto, but I have a meeting to attend."

The teen immediately stood. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

The Yondaime looked up at him thoughtfully. "Before I can accept you as a ninja of this village, I will have to test your skills and abilities," he said.

Naruto grinned. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

"I'm giving you two hours to rest, get some food, and prepare. Then, I expect you to be ready to show me what you can do. I will come get you from your room at that time."

His son nodded. "Hai, Hokage-sama. I will not disappoint you!" He sounded eager and excited.

Minato smiled back. His son's grin was contagious. "Very good. I am certain you won't. Hisa-san!" he called. His assistant stuck her head in the office again. "Please show Naruto-kun here to the room prepared for him and kindly have some lunch sent in. Then return here. I have an errand for you before the meeting." She nodded and gestured to the blonde boy that looked uncannily like her boss.

The teen in question bowed to the Hokage and left with her.

The blonde man turned back to his teacher and slouched a little in the chair, dropping his head in his hands. "I feel like I've been fighting a hundred Iwa nin," he said.

Jiraiya got up from his seat on the couch and walked to his first student. He placed a big hand on his shoulder. "I know it's a lot to take in. It's going to take some time, for both you and him. His whole life has been focused on this day, on meeting you."

Minato looked up. "That is something I absolutely cannot understand. How could Kushina put that ridiculous notion into his head that he is some sort of gift to me? He speaks as though he is a tool for me to use. And never once, in all the time he was talking about her, or his life, did he mention love. He said she admired me, respected me. That he was a gift in recognition of my skills. Medals are given in recognition of skills, not children! Children are born from the love of two people. I loved Kushina. In truth, I still do. But he never said she loved me."

Jiraiya squeezed Minato's shoulder slightly, a serious expression on his face. "I know it's difficult to understand. I don't quite understand it myself. Once Naruto explains a little more about his mother and himself, it might be easier. Or it might be harder. I'm not sure."

Minato shook his head. "You are confusing me even more," he said wryly. "But I will put my questions aside until I speak with Naruto again. I trust you know what you're talking about." His expression turned serious again. "Now, we have some time before I have to meet with the clan heads. Fill me in on the information about Orochimaru you collected."

* * *

Naruto followed the dark-haired woman through the halls of the Tower. He kept his expression blank, but inside his emotions were roiling. She stopped in front of a door and gestured to it. "This is your room, Naruto-kun," she said. "Jiraiya-sama is in the room next door."

He nodded to her. "Arigatou, Hisa-san," he said and opened the door.

It was a simple, but comfortable room with wooden floors and a low table set in front of a couch well stocked with pillows. Through another doorway he could see what he supposed was the sleeping area, and beyond that, a sliding screen he thought led to a balcony. He saw his pack was already waiting for him in the center of the room. Hisa's voice startled him a bit when it sounded from behind him.

"Do you have any requests for lunch, Naruto-kun?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, whatever is most convenient for you is fine, Hisa-san," he replied.

She smiled. "Very well then. Your meal will arrive in about half an hour."

He thanked her again and she left. As soon as the door was closed he gave in to his feelings. His body shook and he sank down onto the couch, clutching a pillow between his hands like it was a lifeline. He had been under tremendous stress, wound up so tightly the whole day, that he was now having trouble relaxing. He bent his head and allowed the emotions to wash over him. All the fear, the anxiety, the excitement. He had felt so many emotions that day, and had gone from feeling one extreme to the other, that he was utterly overwhelmed. He was not good at this.

He examined his feelings again. The fear of rejection was still there, but it was tempered with something else. Hope and joy. Finally, after almost sixteen years, he had met his father. His father was going to test him that afternoon. His father was giving him a chance.

The boy grinned and leapt up from the couch, the pillow falling to the floor. He pumped one fist in the air and began dancing around the room. "Yes, yes, YES!" he cried. His father was giving him a _chance_. A chance to show he was worthy. And he would prove it! He _would_ be accepted by his father. Jiraiya-sensei _would_ see that he hadn't wasted the last seven years with him. If he could show the Yondaime that he was a skilled warrior, that he would be a useful weapon in his father's arsenal, then maybe, _maybe,_ it wouldn't matter to him what Naruto's heritage was. Ero-sennin had accepted him, and his father was Jiraiya's student, too, right? So surely the Sage knew what he was talking about when he said Naruto shouldn't worry. He had been right so far, after all. His father had been happy to find out he had a son. He had even hugged him!

Naruto stopped dancing at the thought of that contact. He stood stock still, savoring the memory of the feelings that had possessed him at his father's touch. It hadn't been as overwhelming as the reactions produced by the Hokage's voice or scent, but Naruto thought that was because it hadn't been direct skin-to-skin. It had felt like an electric current sweeping through him, originating under his father's hands. When the current had passed, he had felt totally and utterly content, something he had never felt before. All his life he had felt somewhat lost and a little empty, like he knew there was someplace he was supposed to be and he wasn't there. His father's touch had banished that feeling. It felt so _right_. Naruto had found the place he was supposed to be and it was by his father's side.

That sense of contentment had stayed the entire time Naruto was in the Hokage's presence. The lost feeling had returned now that Naruto was no longer next to him, but it was not nearly as strong as before. Naruto knew there was only one more thing to do, one last way to bind himself to his father, and the feeling would disappear entirely. But that was something that had to wait. He would have to be accepted by the Hokage first, and in order to do that, he would have to impress him. He had better start preparing.

* * *

Jiraiya knocked on the door of his student and, after hearing a muffled "Come in," he entered. Naruto was sitting on the floor of the sleeping room in front of the open sliding door, facing the gardens outside, although now he had his head turned to look over his shoulder at the door. He had changed into his training clothes, a much more sensible outfit to display his skills in. His new attire was simple; black pants and long-sleeved shirt and black shinobi sandals. The hems of the pants ended just above the edge of his sandals, exposing a little of the mesh protective leggings he wore. He also had on black fingerless gloves with a metal plate on the back of the hand. He had various pouches strapped to his waist and one attached to the side of his right thigh. His katana was strapped to his back.

He was sitting in a lotus position; he'd obviously been meditating. The remains of a lunch tray were left on the table, the plates neatly stacked, the water glass empty, the napkin folded and the chopsticks placed on top of it. His student was not really a neat person, but he was a very polite one.

"I don't want to disturb your preparations," Jiraiya started.

"No, not at all, sensei," Naruto replied, smoothly rising to his feet and coming into the sitting room. "I was getting tired of meditating anyway."

Jiraiya chuckled. Naruto was not one to sit still and be introspective. "Are you ready?" he asked.

The blonde shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be, I think." He cocked his head at his sensei. "What do you think this test will be?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "He'll probably have you fight someone. A jonin most likely. You might have to retrieve something from the jonin's person or land a certain number of hits on them. Something like that."

They were quiet for a moment while Naruto mulled that over. "I think you should leave your kekkei genkai until the very last," Jiraiya said finally.

"Hai," the teen replied. "That's the plan. Actually, I would rather not use it at all."

The Toad Sage looked down at his student. "You can't keep it from him."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "I know that. I had hoped that I could just tell him about it. Maybe demonstrate one of the lesser abilities. There's no way I'll be able to show him everything I can do, anyway. At least, not right now."

"That's true," Jiraiya said. He shrugged again. "Well, all right. You'll just have to see what the situation calls for."

Naruto's expression changed. "I will do my best," Naruto said, determination etched in every line of his face, his voice deadly serious, and his eyes implacable. "I will make you proud of me. And I _will_ prove myself to the Yondaime."

Jiraiya nodded. "I know you will," he said. When Naruto got that look on his face…well the white-haired man knew the boy had an iron will. When he set his mind to do something, he did it, as simple as that. Looking into those eyes, Jiraiya believed Naruto could do anything. Anything at all. It was almost frightening.

He reached out and ruffled the young blonde's hair, like he had done years ago with his father.

"Awww, geez, Ero-sennin," Naruto complained. And just like that, the determined look was gone, replaced by a very annoyed one. Naruto hated it when his sensei messed up his hair like that. He ducked away from the man's hand and ran his own through his spiky locks, trying to put them back in a semblance of order only he understood. Jiraiya chuckled. How he loved to annoy the boy.

There was a knock on the door. Naruto looked surprised. His father wasn't supposed to come for another 20 minutes and he wasn't expecting anyone else.

He walked past his sensei and opened the door. His father stood there, smiling at him. Naruto smiled in return and bowed. "Hokage-sama," he said. "Do you want to come in?" He stepped back, allowing the man space to enter the room.

"Thank you, Naruto," he said, taking a few steps forward. "I am a little early, but my meeting was over sooner that I expected, so I thought I would come see how you are doing." Jiraiya snorted. He was pretty sure Minato had purposefully cut his meeting short. His older student ignored him and continued speaking to Naruto. "Don't feel rushed though; if you have more preparations to make, please take your time."

Naruto shook his head. "No, Hokage-sama, I'm ready."

Minato nodded. Being prepared was a good trait for a ninja to have. "Then shall we go?" Naruto nodded and the older blonde turned to head back out the still-open door.

"Oy! Hokage-sama!" a cry from his son stopped him short.

"What?" he said, half turning and looking behind him.

Naruto was pointing at the back of his coat. "It says Yondaime Hokage!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Minato looked confused and Jiraiya laughed. "Yes, it does," the owner of the coat in question said. The red kanji had been added to match the flames along the bottom after Minato had been named the Third's successor. Jiraiya knew he didn't really like the traditional Hokage robes, so wore the coat instead. The Toad Sage approved. It was much more _him_. "So?"

"It's the coolest thing I have ever seen!" the teen crowed, gesturing with his arms to indicate the entire room, or perhaps the entire world.

Minato laughed along with the older ninja. "You like it, huh? Maybe I'll have one made for you. Would you like to follow in my footsteps and be 'Godaime Hokage', hmmm?"

Naruto stared at him, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. "Godaime Hokage?" he murmured sounding utterly shocked.

Minato grinned. "I'm teasing, Naruto," he said. "I have no idea if you would even want the job. You'd have to like paperwork."

Naruto's face lost the shocked look and he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Minato turned back around to exit the room. Jiraiya dropped his smile as soon as the Hokage's back was turned and placed his hand on his young student's shoulder. He gave a gentle squeeze and the boy looked up at him gratefully. Jiraiya nodded and the boy nodded back, then took a breath and walked after his father. No words needed to be spoken.

Jiraiya sighed. He didn't think Minato picked up on it, but he recognized the sadness his younger student was desperately trying to hide. Minato didn't know it, and he hadn't intended it, but he had just wounded the boy deeply, with that jest about being Godaime Hokage. And the young blonde would never let on.

A village leader must be accepted by the people, and Naruto was firmly convinced that universal acceptance was something he would never have. Even though it broke his heart, Jiraiya wasn't so sure he was wrong.

* * *

The Yondaime led them to one of the training grounds outside the village walls. They had gone over the rooftops and through the trees, Naruto easily keeping up with his father's speed. Minato was pleased, Jiraiya could tell. They reached the spot and the Yondaime landed easily in a large clear space among the trees, Naruto and Jiraiya right behind him. It was one of the larger and less used training areas. No one else was around.

Minato shrugged off his jacket and handed it to Jiraiya. He faced his son. "Alright, Naruto, your task is to find me and take this bell." He held up a small silver bell on a string, jangled it once so it made a clear ringing sound, and then attached it to a loop at his waist. "Use any weapons or jutsu you want. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you won't get the bell." He grinned.

Naruto blinked at him. "You, Hokage-sama?" he questioned. "My opponent is you?"

Minato nodded. Naruto looked nervously over at Jiraiya. Jiraiya looked back, impassive. "I thought you said it would be some jonin," the young blonde said accusingly. Jiraiya just shrugged.

Minato laughed. "Well, I wanted to see what you could do against me. I am the Hokage after all, the strongest ninja in the village."

Naruto was looking at him with narrowed eyes. "You also don't want anybody else to see what I can do just yet."

Minato laughed again. "That too."

Jiraiya smiled. _Looking underneath the underneath—very good._

"So my test is to hunt you down and take the bell away from you?"

Jiraiya noticed the way his young student had phrased it._ Hunt him down, huh? Oh, Minato, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into._ Naruto was absolutely the best tracker he had ever seen.

Minato nodded. "I had ANBU clear the area and stand guard at the edge of the grounds. No one else is here and no one will disturb us."

Jiraiya understood the hidden motives, although he wasn't sure if Naruto did. Not only had Minato wanted to keep his son's skills a secret, he was expecting some damage to the area and didn't want anyone else caught in it. He had high expectations of his son. Naruto would not let him down.

"Hokage-sama, can you phrase it as a command?" the young blonde asked, with a respectful bow.

Minato looked at him, his brows drawn. "What?"

"Can you phrase this task as a command?"

"You mean, command you to do this task?"

"Hai."

A pause. "Why?"

Naruto looked uncomfortable again. "Please, it will make me feel better about coming at you with intent to kill." It wasn't the exact reason, but it was pretty close.

Minato shrugged. "Sure. I order you to locate my position and take this bell away, using deadly force if necessary. You will start when I say 'begin'. Does that suffice?"

Naruto bowed again. "Yes, thank you, Hokage-sama."

"Very good then. Begin." And with a grin, the Hokage vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Jiraiya watched his remaining student. Naruto stood where he was, and slowly a grin spread across his face too. It wasn't the same sort of grin though. It was a lot more feral than Minato's had been. His eyes were dancing with excitement. It was the expression he wore when he was about to fight. One thing a warrior needed to have was a love of battle. Naruto had that in spades. He hated to kill—well, most of the time—but he loved to fight. It was, after all, what he had been born to do. Jiraiya grinned as well. Minato was in for a surprise.


	3. The Test

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 3

**_The Test_**

After Naruto had gotten over the shock of having his father as an opponent, he had begun to get excited. Finding his father's location would be a snap, especially with the newly-formed bonds the Hokage wasn't aware of yet. Getting the bell would be harder, but not impossible. If he had to, he could rely on his kekkei genkai for that. Although he wasn't entirely certain he could use it against the Hokage, even with the command allowing deadly force. The key words had been 'if necessary' and he wasn't sure the seals embedded in his soul would consider its usage necessary to get the bell. Well, he'd have to try it and find out.

After his father had shunshined away, he had stood, letting the excitement of battle overtake him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He wouldn't be able to find his father by his chakra signature; he was too good at hiding it for that. But his father's scent was easy to trace, even though he had moved in a direction downwind of where Naruto stood. He could also hear the movements the Hokage made, the soft swish of fabric as he brought his hands up into a seal. Suddenly, his father's scent was magnified and his sound was multiplied. Naruto let out a breathy laugh. Shadow clones! The Yondaime had made five shadow clones and was sending them out in all directions from the clearing. Only five? That was easy enough to match.

He leapt away into the trees in the wrong direction from where his father was. It would not do to let him know so early in the game that he couldn't hide from Naruto. He felt Jiraiya's eyes on him as he left the clearing. His sensei would watch the action from some secure spot. He wouldn't want to miss this battle between his students.

Naruto bounded through the trees, coming close to one of his father's clones, but not too close. He didn't want his father to know his trick had been discovered so soon. He found a particularly dense patch of leaves and slipped in among the branches. He made the same seal the Hokage had and whispered the jutsu's name.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" With a quiet _puff_ and a few wisps of smoke, ten shadow clones appeared among the leaves. He wasn't dumb enough to think that his clones would be a match for the Hokage's in a one-on-one fight. But, two of his for every one of his father's should be enough to be a distraction at least. His clones would keep his father's out of his hair while he went for the original. The ten split up at his gesture, sliding silently among the leaves and disappearing towards their targets.

He stayed in his leafy shelter. He breathed deeply again, letting his senses expand. His father's clones were really good copies, down to the scent and the sound. Just what he would expect from the Yondaime Hokage, who was said to surpass all the Hokages before him. However, there were subtle differences. The sounds the clones made lacked the depth of the original, as if they were standing in an echoless room. The scent was slightly off too, as if it was missing a small but vital component. And it was. Any normal tracker, even a ninja dog, probably wouldn't notice it, but Naruto was no ordinary tracker. He knew exactly what was missing in the sound and scent of his father's clones. If he touched one, or saw one, he knew the feeling and looks of it would be off too, for the same reason. Clones didn't have real blood. What flowed in them didn't call to him. The subtle scent of it was missing from them, and they had no heartbeat, no whisper of blood moving through veins to enrich the sounds they made. They would have no real warmth emanating from their skin and they would lack the subtle glow it imparted to the skin of the original. These were all things he would notice for any person, but it was made many times easier by the connections he had made with his father earlier.

So he ignored the signals coming from the clones and left them up to his own. He concentrated on the original.

The Hokage had moved from his first spot, leaving a clone in his place and moving around the clearing in the opposite direction from where Naruto was. Now he was almost directly across from his son, but moving away. Naruto began following. He circled the clearing, and paused again. His father was still moving away.

The Hokage was challenging to track. He left no trail at all to follow, not one leaf out of place or one mark on the bark of the branches he landed on. He was almost silent in his movements, too. If Naruto didn't have the bond with him, even he would find him hard to hear. As it was, he had to concentrate more than usual. Naruto knew he couldn't hide his approach from his father. He was stealthy enough, but it had never been his strong suit, and he certainly couldn't hide his chakra well enough to keep it from a ninja as experienced as the Yondaime. He had always relied on his speed and his cunning when he was hunting. His father, though, was fast, faster than he was, so he couldn't rely on that this time. It would have to be cunning, then. He'd have to draw his father into a trap. But how to do that?

He stopped suddenly. His father had disappeared. _Damn!_ Naruto closed his eyes and cast around. His father had somehow managed to get behind him. _Double damn!_ Had he been really following a clone? Naruto dismissed that. He trusted his senses. He knew it had been the original. It must be _that_ jutsu.

Jiraiya had told him many stories about his father, although he hadn't known he was his father at the time. Included in those stories were ones about the jutsus the Yondaime had developed and his exploits against Iwa in the last Great Shinobi War. So Naruto knew all about the Hiraishin no Jutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique, although Jiraiya couldn't teach it to him. Naruto hadn't noticed the seal required for the jutsu, but he hadn't been looking either. It was a safe bet the Yondaime had seals littered all around the grounds, and the village for that matter, so he would be able to move in an instant almost anywhere. And there was no way for Naruto to know exactly how many seals there were, so he couldn't very well watch them all. Naruto figured he would use the jutsu eventually, but didn't think it would be so soon. _Damn damn damn! _

He leapt off into the trees again, resuming his chase once more, thinking hard. He couldn't stand around all day. Or could he? The answer came to him so suddenly, and it was so simple, he almost laughed out loud.

* * *

Minato was impressed. His son hadn't been fooled by any of the tricks he had employed to shake him off the trail. He hadn't caught up to him, but he was never far behind. He was giving Minato no opportunity to actually hide. At first, he had thought the shadow clones had fooled him because he took off in the total wrong direction, but that had been misdirection on Naruto's part. He had formed ten—ten!—of his own shadow clones and sent them off after the Hokage's clones, although they hadn't attacked. He had quite easily picked up the real Minato's trail after that and had followed it unerringly. He was gaining too, although Minato hadn't left a visible trail to follow. There was something else going on and he couldn't wait to find out what. He had resorted to the Hiraishin much earlier than he thought he would have to. Even that hadn't done much good. His son had stopped almost immediately, then had resumed his pursuit, coming straight for Minato. He had employed it a couple more times after that, and still Naruto kept coming. The boy was obviously an excellent tracker. Probably the best Minato had ever seen, and that was saying something, considering the clans renowned for their tracking skills that resided in Konoha.

Only one odd thing had happened, just a little while ago. One of Naruto's clones had moved towards the edge of the main clearing and then dispersed. Minato couldn't figure out quite why it had done that. He supposed it might have laid a trap for him, but didn't think the clone had been there long enough to do something like that. He shook his head. He couldn't figure it out. He would just have to be on his toes.

Since he had gleaned the information he wanted out of this exercise, maybe it was time to let the boy catch him and see what he would do to get the bell. He paused in his tree-hopping. He supposed he should head back to the main clearing, so they would have room to maneuver. His son was still following him; he had even sped up, somehow sensing Minato had stopped. He smiled a little and took off in the direction of the clearing, abandoning stealth for speed. He wanted to make it a little ahead of his son.

* * *

Minato reached the clearing. It was empty, although he could see Jiraiya sitting up in a tree not far from him. He walked over to his sensei and sat down on a stump underneath him. His son was approaching, but he had a few minutes. Oddly enough, the boy hadn't sped up or tried to intercept Minato. Maybe he realized Minato had given up the chase and was ready for the next part of the test.

Jiraiya was grinning at him. A really, really big grin. Minato didn't like it.

"What?" he asked. Jiraiya said nothing, but his grin widened, if that was at all possible. "Fine, don't tell me," Minato muttered, a little put out.

"He's a great tracker, isn't he?" Jiraiya said, but Minato didn't think that was why he was grinning like an idiot.

"Yes," Minato said. "Do you know how he does it?"

Jiraiya nodded. "He has exceptional senses. He'll explain it to you, I'm sure."

That really didn't tell Minato much, but he let it go. He'd find out eventually.

His son was getting close, but he was angling around the clearing, trying to approach Minato from behind. Minato nodded to himself. It was a good strategy. Or at least it would be if he couldn't sense his son coming. Really, the boy's chakra was like a flaming beacon.

He stood up from the stump and stretched. "Well, time to see what else he can do," he said and started walking to the center of the clearing.

His son appeared in a tree near where he had been sitting a moment later. He took one glance into the clearing and attacked. Minato had to hand it to him—he didn't waste time. He started with a blast of wind that Minato countered with his own wind jutsu. The two met and canceled each other out with a roar that shook the treetops around them.

He was proud for one second at the power contained in the jutsu and that his son had wind affinity like he did. It was rare in Konoha. He was only proud for one second though, because after that he had to dodge the flurry of shuriken his son had hidden behind the wind blast. It was a tricky thing to do.

Minato loved it.

Naruto followed in the wake of the shuriken and leapt at Minato, a kunai in his hand. Minato countered with his own kunai and they exchanged a flurry of blows. His son had excellent taijutsu skills for a fifteen-year old. He didn't recognize the style, but then, he was no expert. He'd have Gai watch him sometime soon.

Naruto was grinning like a madman. It reminded Minato of Jiraiya's grin and it was starting to make him uneasy.

"What the hell?" he muttered through clenched teeth. What did they know that he didn't? He was having fun sparring with his son, but he wanted to know what was going on. He upped his speed. His son kept up for a little bit, but couldn't block the blows for long. Minato landed three with his fist in quick succession, but noticed the grin never left Naruto's face.

Then he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Minato froze. _A shadow clone?_ Minato was utterly dumbfounded. _That had been a shadow clone?!_ Then where was the real Naruto? He glanced behind him, back towards Jiraiya. The stump wasn't there anymore.

_WHAT?!_

A slight tremor in the ground was all the warning he had. He leapt straight up, and he almost wasn't fast enough. His son exploded out of the ground right behind where he had been standing, one hand extended, the other clutching a kunai. His fingers brushed his father's foot.

Minato flipped in the air to land behind his son, but Naruto had spun on his heel to face him as soon as he landed and had started forming hand seals. He wasn't going to give his father a chance to catch his breath. This time it was a water jutsu. A swarm of water bullets flew at Minato. He had seen the familiar signs his son was making and had a defense, although he'd had to speed really quickly though the seals to be ready in time. The moment he touched the ground he slammed his palm down and called up an earth wall to block the water. He left it up a moment in case his son had prepared another jutsu. When he didn't feel anything, he lowered it enough to see Naruto, but not so much he couldn't raise it again in a moment if needed. His son was standing in a defensive posture, kunai in hand, watching him. It seemed to be a bit of a break, although Minato wasn't sure why. Naruto wasn't even breathing hard, even after chasing him around for half the afternoon and firing off a couple powerful jutsus.

He was proud of his son. So proud. He was fighting at a high level, especially for his age. And he had the same elemental affinities as Minato. Wind and water. His name _was_ Namikaze after all. He wondered if he could use a third yet and what it was. And the thing he did with the shadow clone!

"How did you do that?" he called.

There was a pause while his son looked at him warily. "Do what?" he asked.

"That thing with the shadow clone. I could have sworn it was you. I didn't realize you had exchanged places with one. Nor did I sense you come into the clearing."

His son's smile was almost too bright to look at. "Oh, that," he said. "I knew you would come back here eventually. All I had to do was wait. But you couldn't know I was waiting. So, the next time you used the Hiraishin, I timed it to create a shadow clone just when you disappeared. You wouldn't notice the jutsu during the heartbeat it takes you to reappear. The instant I created the clone I suppressed my chakra and held still while the clone searched for your new position and took off after you. Suppressing my chakra is hard for me, though, and I couldn't be sure you wouldn't still sense me. So, I made my way to my nearest shadow clone. I had it walk with me to the edge of the clearing to mask any chakra I might be leaking. Once here I transformed myself, using the dispersal of the clone to cover the jutsu. Then I waited."

"What did you disguise yourself as? I didn't sense you at all when I got here."

"The stump," his son replied.

"The stump?" He blinked. "_That _stump? Under the tree Jiraiya was sitting in?" It had disappeared…but…

The younger blonde nodded.

"But that's impossible! I sat on that stump! It wasn't an illusion!"

Naruto laughed. It was the first time Minato had heard the sound and he loved it. It was beautiful--loud, rich, and absolutely contagious. Minato found himself smiling, even though he was still confused.

"It wasn't an illusion," his son finally agreed, his laughter dying but mirth still evident in his voice. "When I transform, I physically change into the thing. To normal senses, I am the thing I have transformed into, so I am close to impossible to detect."

Minato stared at his son. The plan he had come up with was incredibly simple, but crafty and damn near impossible to pull off. Yet he had done it. How could Naruto possibly know when he was going to use the Hiraishin? And then to time the kage bunshin jutsu so perfectly to coincide with the instant Minato was jumping and unable to sense the world around him. He knew maybe a handful of ninja that could do it. And none of them were fifteen. Most ninja wouldn't even recognize that weakness in the Hiraishin to exploit. The information about the nature of his transformations was icing on the cake. Minato had never heard of a ninja physically changing using the henge jutsu. It shouldn't be possible. And yet, his son had most definitely done it. He would have to explore that ability later. Right now, he still had an opponent to face. He decided to take it up a notch.

"That is….most impressive, Naruto. Be careful what jutsus you use, or they might be used against you, huh? No wonder you two were grinning at me like that," he said, making discreet hand seals behind the wall while talking. "How did you know when I would use the Hiraishin?" He kept his eyes on his son. He didn't seem to notice what Minato was doing.

"I heard you."

Minato almost lost control of the jutsu. _Heard me?_ Jiraiya had said Naruto had incredible senses, but still. "What do you mean, heard me?" It wasn't hard to sound incredulous.

"Well—" but the rest of Naruto's explanation was lost as Minato released the jutsu, another wind attack, but this one more powerful and in the form of a whirlwind. If it hit, Naruto would have some serious gashes. Minato watched his son's eyes widen, then narrow, and his free hand moved up to his lips. It looked like a fireball jutsu, but he hadn't had time to make any hand seals. Then the whirlwind got in the way and the Hokage couldn't see him properly anymore. _Damn it_, Minato thought.

Then the world exploded in raging fire.

His son had managed a fireball, even without hand seals, although it wasn't very big. That didn't really matter as the wind attack fueled it, causing it to expand like mad and engulf the entire area. Minato dropped behind the wall while simultaneously raising it up. The flames licked around the edges and streamed past overhead. The heat was intense.

Well, that answered his earlier question. His son did indeed have a third affinity he could use and it was fire. _But how did he manage it without seals?_ It was possible to use jutsu without the seals that helped mold chakra, but usually fifteen-year-olds didn't have the control necessary to do it. Most ninja in general didn't, no matter how old they were.

The flames were dying and Minato straightened up. Suddenly, Naruto appeared at the top of the wall, katana in hand. Before Minato could react, he leapt off the wall, twisting in the air to land behind the Hokage. The older blonde barely had time to turn and raise his kunai before his son was on him.

Naruto was a good swordsman, too, and he definitely had the advantage against a kunai. Only Minato's greater speed and experience kept him from getting sliced up. He couldn't understand how Naruto had gotten to the wall so fast. The flames hadn't even totally died out! He must've come through them, but he didn't even look singed. Minato was confused again. It was a state he was getting all too used to in this fight. His son had a knack for doing the unexpected. Not a bad trait in a ninja.

The Hokage was being pushed back against the wall by Naruto's greater reach, which was obviously what his son intended. If he trapped him there, it would be all over. Luckily, he could do something about that. Minato released the jutsu and the wall disappeared. There, now he could…

There was someone behind him. He half turned, trying to keep his son in his line of sight. The boy was pressing the attack, using Minato's distraction. He blocked a flurry of blows while trying to process the new threat.

His son was lunging forward holding a swirling ball of orange chakra in his hand, grinning like mad.

_Shadow clone! Rasengan?! _Minato couldn't believe it, but he didn't have time to ponder. He also didn't have time to dodge, so he did the only thing he could in the situation—he used Hiraishin to transport himself to the other side of the clearing. Just before he disappeared, he felt a sharp burn low down on his side, below his vest. His son had nicked him.

He reappeared, immediately dropped into a fighting stance and drew in a deep breath. His gaze was on his son and his son's clone. The one that had formed the Rasengan was still grinning, and holding something up, but not a ball of chakra. It was the bell. Minato looked down to his waist, but there was nothing there except the gash the katana-wielding Naruto had given him. He had sliced the bell away with that last attack.

The Yondaime laughed aloud. His son was amazing. His strategy was excellent—sending the shadow clone for distraction while he hid behind the wall to form the Rasengan. Again, using his opponent's jutsu against him. His shadow clones were impeccable and his control of them was superb; definitely better than Minato's. And he knew the Rasengan! He'd have to grill Jiraiya about that later. Right now, he wanted to test it out against his own.

"Very good, Naruto! I am thoroughly impressed," he began, putting the kunai away, but stopped.

His son was no longer looking at him and grinning. Instead, both Narutos were staring at the katana with unreadable expressions and clenched fists, breathing in short, shallow gasps. Blood was smeared across the blade. His blood. Well, Naruto had cut him when he severed the cord of the bell, but it wasn't a serious wound—just a scratch really. He'd certainly had worse. Was that why his son was looking like that?

"Naruto—" the older blond began, wanting to reassure the young ninja, but stopped again when his son, the real one, the one that had been holding the bell, looked over at him.

His face was blank, but there was something moving in his eyes, literally. Minato had never seen anything like it. It was like something stirring the water of a pool just under the surface. You couldn't see exactly what it was, but you knew it was there. And you thought it was big. Minato didn't like it. He felt the first stirrings of fear in his gut.

"Naruto," he breathed again, this time a whisper. But a movement next to the young man drew his son's attention.

The clone had started moving the katana so the edge was near his face. Minato had no idea what he was doing, but Naruto seemed to. The original instantly shot out a hand to grab the clone's wrist, stopping the motion. The clone looked at the original and growled, a low, quiet sound that still easily reached Minato's ears. The original growled right back, his face hard. The Hokage blinked. Clones weren't aggressive towards their creators. What the hell was going on?

The original was moving the hand grasping his clone's wrist, bringing the sword towards his own face now. The clone had stopped growling, but he looked angry. The real Naruto placed his other hand along the flat of the blade, steadying it. He brought it right up next to his mouth and licked the blood from the blade, staring at his clone the whole time.

Minato was shocked. He stared at his son, who had dropped his hands to his sides. His eyes were closed and he had a dreamy expression on his face, his clone seemingly forgotten. A great shudder wracked his body, then another, and he moaned softly, but his expression never changed. _What the hell is he doing?_ _What's wrong?_ He took a step forward, intending to go to his son, but he stopped again. He found he couldn't move.

Fear had flooded the clearing. It was the only way Minato knew how to describe it, although it wasn't quite right. The feeling that surrounded him, that made his skin crawl, that choked the breath from his lungs and made the air press down on his shoulders like a weight certainly inspired fear, but it wasn't exactly fear itself. It was like the killing intent from a high-level ninja, but again it wasn't exactly the same. He had only ever felt this kind of feeling once, almost sixteen years ago…

His thoughts froze and refused to move any further. _That's not possible…_ Panic was starting to creep into the edges of his brain. _Please don't let that be possible…_

Every instinct in his body was screaming at him to run. To get as far away from here as possible, as fast as possible. But he still couldn't move. He could only watch his son. The feeling was coming from him.

The clone was growling again, but Naruto dispersed the jutsu with a wave, still without opening his eyes. Minato's gaze was drawn to the young man's hands. The nails had sharpened and lengthened. Now they looked like claws. The whisker marks on his face had deepened and thickened until they were harsh slashes marring his cheeks instead of thin lines. His eyes opened and he looked directly at his father. Minato could not suppress the gasp that escaped his lips. His son's eyes were no longer a beautiful blue, but crimson red. The pupils were slits. Minato had seen eyes like that before. Oh, kami, he'd seen them.

_NO!_ his mind shrieked. _How is this possible?_

Naruto was grinning again, but this grin was more like a snarl. It stretched his now-black lips over his teeth, exposing the fangs his canines had become. Minato couldn't breathe and he thought he might drown in the fear and despair that washed over him. _Please let this be a dream, please let me wake up, even if it means I don't have a son… _

That thought stopped him cold and the fear receded somewhat under his disgust with himself. _Did I really just think that? I don't mean that…do I?_

His reverie was interrupted by a burning in his side. He glanced down and his eyes widened. Blood was flowing freely from the cut Naruto had given him. Way too much blood for such a small wound. He pressed his hand against it, trying to staunch the flow. He glanced back up and saw his son pointing a clawed finger at him. _Was he doing this?_

Naruto made a slight movement, like he was taking a step forward, and he disappeared. He reappeared a moment later right in front of Minato. The older ninja hadn't seen him coming. He involuntarily took a step back. At least he tried to, but he couldn't move. He wasn't just frozen with fear and shock this time; he was literally unable to move. The clawed hand was no longer pointing at him, but was held up with the palm facing him, fingers splayed. His son was controlling him somehow. With his other hand, Naruto reached forward and grabbed the wrist of the hand Minato had pressed to his side. His claws dug into Minato's skin. The Hokage would have flinched if he had been able to. Naruto brought his father's hand up to his mouth and began licking the blood off his fingers.

Naruto was breathing hard and had a look akin to ecstasy on his face. He was moving slowly, seeming to savor every taste. Under the fear and shock, Minato had to admit he was somewhat fascinated, although a little disgusted too. What was this power? He was also starting to feel annoyed. He was tired of being shocked and confused.

Naruto was almost finished licking the blood off his hand. The palm that was facing Minato had started to sag a little and Minato wondered if he could move now. He tested it out, starting small. He could move his eyes, could move his lips. Could he speak? "Naruto…" he breathed. It was barely even a whisper of sound, but it was enough.

His son rolled his eyes up in their sockets to look at him without moving his head. Their gazes locked. For a moment, Minato berated himself. His son was dangerous, a predator, and he had just drawn his attention. Why had he done that? But then, Naruto's head jerked up and he stared at his father. The red in his eyes started to recede. It was fascinating to watch. His pupils compressed back into a round shape and the crimson color seemed to drain away into them, leaving crystal blue in its wake. The pressure on Minato's wrist disappeared as Naruto's claws shrank back into nails and the dark lines on his face returned to their normal size. The choking feeling in the clearing disappeared like it had never been. Minato found himself staring into the perfectly normal face of his son again. A face that was very quickly filling up with horror and shame.

Naruto took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out with what sounded like a strangled sob. He dropped his father's wrist and made a quick swiping motion with his hand, then a flicking motion. He dropped his other hand, the one that had been holding his father still, and he leapt backward, away from the blonde in front of him. In one bound, he cleared about 30 feet. Never once did he take his eyes from his father. Minato watched him go, making no move, even though he was free again. The look on his son's face never wavered and he had tears pouring from his eyes. The instant Naruto touched down he dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead into the ground in front of him in the same bow he had used earlier in Minato's office. He was shaking violently.

"Y-Yondaime H-Hokage-ue," he said, his voice shaking almost as badly as his body. "I-I-I am-m so very sorry. I-I kn-know my actions are un-unforgivable, b-but p-p-please, please—" he didn't seem to be able to finish. His breaths were sobs and it took a few moments before he could speak again. "I-I willingly s-submit to any p-punishment y-you see fit."

Minato simply looked at him. He had no idea what to do, so he just stood, watching this boy, his son, a dangerous creature, cowering on the ground.

* * *

Author's Note

_I told at least one reviewer that this chapter would have explanations, but...the chapter break worked best here. And I didn't want this chapter to be as long as the last one. However, I don't want to keep everyone in suspense for too long either, so I posted the next chapter too. The answers to your questions will be revealed (hopefully). Feel free to ask me if you still have questions after reading it._

_Thanks so much to all my reviewers, and all of you who added this story to your favorites or alerts. I am glad you like it. _


	4. Answers

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 4

**_Answers_**

Jiraiya sighed from his perch in the tree. That could have gone better. He jumped down and made his way quickly to his first student. Minato didn't look at him or acknowledge his presence. He was just watching his son, huddled on the ground, falling apart.

"Minato…" he started.

"Don't," the blonde man interrupted. His voice was devoid of any emotion, blank.

Jiraiya shut up. The Yondaime had to deal with this on his own, and he obviously didn't want any input. Fine. He would just stand here and lend silent support. To both his students.

* * *

Naruto couldn't control the tremors wracking his body or the sobs escaping from his throat, although he was trying. But what did it matter now? Nothing mattered now.

His squeezed his eyes shut and dug his fingers into the grass, leaving gouges in the earth as he shook. He was biting his lip so hard it was bleeding in a desperate effort not to scream. He wished the earth would open up and swallow him.

He'd ruined everything. He had been doing so well. He had actually gotten the bell. His father had been impressed, and he was sure Jiraiya would be proud. He hadn't even had to use his kekkei genkai. He would have explained things to his father, told him what to expect, before he used it. But it was all too late for that now. Everything he had accomplished, all the progress he had made, gone, erased, destroyed, in one instant when he had lost control.

He knew it would be hard for him if he drew his father's blood during the fight, so he had tried to avoid that. And he had managed it, up to the end. Even then, it had been such a small amount, he thought he would be ok. And he had been, although only barely. It had been infinitely harder than he thought it would be. When the scent of his father's blood had reached him, it had been all he could do not to taste it. It trigged a desperate, burning thirst in his throat. It sang to him, although the call was fading, the energy it contained dissipating the longer it sat on the blade, drying in the late afternoon sun. He had been able to retain a thin thread of control, although it took every ounce of concentration and he couldn't do anything but stand completely still. If he made any sort of movement, he thought he would snatch up the katana and taste the blood. It was hard, desperately hard for him, but he had done it. The longer the blood was out of the body, the less he wanted it. He only had to hold on a little longer, and he thought he would be able to move to disperse the jutsu and get rid of the clone and the blood. He'd deal with the fresh blood scent coming from the Hokage after that.

But the clone, the stupid clone, had tried to taste the blood itself. He should have dispersed it immediately, even before the blood scent had gotten to him, but he had been so happy to get the bell, he hadn't even thought of it. And once the blonde had tasted the blood, he was lost. The roar of his instincts had brushed his control aside like he would brush a wisp of cobweb from his face.

But, oh kami, it had tasted so _good_. It had been the most amazing thing he had ever had, and it wasn't even fresh. He immediately wanted more. One more taste, of fresher blood, wouldn't hurt. His father was already bleeding…

The wound he had given the Hokage was shallow and the blood had already stopped flowing. It was easy enough to make it start again and draw more blood out than would normally appear. It was also easy to hold his father still, so he wouldn't move away. Humans were so oddly squeamish about having their blood consumed…

In the back of his mind, he was a little surprised his powers were working at all against his father, but he didn't pay the thought much attention. He was too focused on the blood.

When he had tasted the fresh blood, it had been ecstasy. He had never felt so incredibly alive, the energy in his father's blood transferring to him. It tasted the way his father smelled—warm and spicy and clean and _home_, on top of the metallic taste only blood had—but 100 times more intense. He had savored every drop.

And it sang to him. The way he had felt his father's voice in his bones, he felt the song of his father's blood in his veins. His own blood had answered the song, trying to match his own energy to his father's, like making a harmony to match his father's melody. His heart had skipped a few beats to match the rhythm of his father's heart. It wasn't perfect, because the blood wasn't directly from the vein. But it was close, and Naruto had yearned to complete the ritual, to finish the bonding, to cement the connection.

But it wouldn't happen now. He was certain, absolutely certain from the depths of his being, that his father would reject him. That his father would want nothing to do with him. Jiraiya was probably disgusted with him too, after that display.

His father's voice, as soft as it had been, had gotten his attention, and the look on his face when Naruto had glanced up…

The horror and shame Naruto felt, when he realized what he was doing, had snapped him out of his state in an instant. He had desperately clamped down on his instincts, released his father, and leapt away, but the damage had been done. He had apologized, but words were fairly useless in this situation, and he didn't think it would matter in the slightest that he had meant them from the bottom of his soul. He had seen the look on his father's face. Fear had dominated the Hokage's expression, but there had been something else. Naruto had seen it often enough to know exactly what it was.

Disgust.

It hadn't been very obvious, but it had been there. And it had broken his heart and crushed his spirit. His father was just like all the others. He was happy to have Naruto around when he thought he was normal, human like everyone else. But the moment Naruto showed his other side, showed his kekkei genkai, that changed.

Fear and disgust. He was used to it by now. It was the reaction he always got. Even Jiraiya felt it, at least at first. But he had always been able to ignore it, to get over the pain of rejection by others, because he had clung to the belief that his father would be _different_. That, as long as he worked hard enough, as long as he showed his father he was valuable, as long as he was careful about introducing his father to his powers, his father would accept him. Even the _other_ part of him. His purpose in life would be fulfilled and he would finally be _home_. Some days, that had been the only thought that had kept him going.

And he had just wrecked his only chance. It didn't matter how good he was now, how valuable he might be. Because he knew where fear and disgust led. Where they had led every other time someone had seen his power. Hate. His father might not hate him now, but he would. _He is, after all, only human. _The bitter thought raced through Naruto's mind.

And that would be the end of it. The Hokage would never allow Naruto to stay in the village, to stay with _him_, let alone be a ninja. Now, he had no purpose and no home. No place he belonged. It was his worst nightmare come true. Despair crashed over him in waves and he thought he might drown in it. He had not the slightest hope.

* * *

Minato stared at the teen crouched on the ground for what felt like a long time, his face blank. He didn't know what the hell was going on, not at all. But damn it, he was going to find out.

"I am really tired of being confused," he said. He spoke quietly, only talking to Jiraiya. His eyes narrowed. "So you are going to tell me everything you know. Because I know _you_ know what's going on."

Jiraiya sighed. "I know some of it. Where should I start?"

"How about with whatever-the-hell _that_ was."

"We call it his kekkei genkai, but that's not really what it is."

Minato snorted. "No kidding. I've never seen anything like that before."

Jiraiya ran a hand through his hair. He really didn't want to be the one to explain this. "To understand about the power Naruto has, you have to understand he's not…" Jiraiya trailed off. Minato looked at him expectantly. The Toad Sage tried again. "Look, Kushina-san wasn't…" Why couldn't he just say it?

"Wasn't what? Wasn't from Whirlpool? I kind of get that feeling," Minato said sarcastically. An idea was forming in the back of his mind, but it was so…so…well, suffice to say he really didn't want to contemplate it.

Jiraiya gave a short bark of laughter. "No, she most definitely wasn't from Whirlpool," he muttered.

"Well, where the hell was she from then?!" Minato yelled. He was really, really on his last nerve here and his sensei was beating around the bush. It felt good to yell, to get some of his frustrations out. "Just spit it out!"

"Naruto should be the one explaining this!" Jiraiya yelled back. "I don't understand half of it myself and it's really not my place! This is between you and him!"

"Naruto is in no condition to be telling anybody anything!" Minato replied, pointing at the form huddled on the ground. He and the Toad Sage had both seen broken men, those who had reached their limit and had been pushed beyond it. Naruto looked disturbingly like those men. He had stopped sobbing, but Minato didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"It's alright, Yondaime Hokage-ue. I will tell you whatever you want to know," a voice said. The men turned to face the boy that had spoken. He was still kneeling, but he had lifted his head from the ground. Now he simply sat, his eyes downcast, his hands sitting lifelessly in his lap. He was still trembling, but it wasn't nearly as violent as before. His voice was scratchy, as if he had torn up his throat with his sobs, which Minato thought was entirely possible. It was also empty; devoid of any emotion. A trail of blood from his lip was drying on his chin. He made no move to wipe it away.

Minato narrowed his eyes a little. "You don't have to do that, Naruto. Jiraiya-sensei can answer my questions."

"Forgive me, Hokage-ue, but he is correct when he states he doesn't understand everything. I am the only person who could possibly provide you the information you need. He is also correct in the fact that this is a matter between you and myself. I am the proper person to be answering your questions."

Minato blinked. The whole speech had been delivered in that expressionless tone. And the phrasing…it was so formal, almost archaic.

Jiraiya sighed next to him. "He only talks like that when he is nervous. But that voice isn't like him."

Minato nodded, but didn't say anything. Instead, he walked closer to where the young blonde was kneeling. Jiraiya followed him. He stopped about five feet away. "Naruto, look at me," he commanded, his own voice carefully blank.

Naruto instantly complied. Minato heard Jiraiya's small gasp, and he knew he himself showed some surprise.

All the life had disappeared from Naruto's face. His features were completely blank and his eyes were dull. The spark, the fire, normally contained in them was totally gone. Minato had only been in his presence for a few hours, and he already knew that Naruto was a bundle of energy, of life. That even in his darkest moments, he still burned brightly. Jiraiya had been with him for seven years, so the realization hit him harder. But both men knew this was bad. He was broken. Now, if they could only figure out why…maybe they could put him back together.

Naruto didn't react to them at all. He simply looked at Minato.

"Very well, Naruto," the Hokage said. "Jiraiya-sensei was trying to tell me something earlier. Did you hear that?"

Naruto nodded.

"Will you tell me what he was trying to say?"

"He was trying to say that in order to understand my power, you have to understand that I am n-not—" he stuttered a little and looked down at the ground again, "not–en-entirely—h-human."

Minato said nothing. He was trying to absorb it. He wasn't exactly surprised, not after what he had seen and felt, but this was the possibility he hadn't wanted to consider.

"You're not a Jinchuuriki," he said. It was a statement, not a question. He was grasping at straws and he knew it.

Naruto shook his head.

"Then what are you?"

Naruto flinched slightly, but answered. "I am a hanyou."

"Hanyou…" Minato breathed. Half-demon. He thought that was just a legend. But it explained things. Some things. Well…actually, nothing. It didn't explain a goddamn thing! "If you are a hanyou, then Kushina…" he couldn't finish the thought.

Naruto finished it for him. "My mother is a demon."

He started to sway, and Jiraiya caught him, which was good because his legs wouldn't support him anymore. "The only demons I have ever heard of are the Bijuu. How is this possible?" Minato whispered. The woman he had known had been a powerful ninja, yes. She had been somewhat aloof, with a wicked temper, yes. But a _demon!_? His only experience with demons was the attack of the Kyuubi, almost sixteen years ago. Kushina did not seem at all like the Kyuubi.

"There are others besides the Bijuu, Hokage-ue," Naruto answered. "Konoha is part of my mother's territory. She was visiting here and met you. She was very intrigued by you, which is no small thing, to excite the interest of a demon. Traits like courage, loyalty, and dedication are very important to demons. They also value battle skills. She was very impressed by the things she saw in you. She even went so far as to enjoy your company. I cannot stress how unusual that is. For a demon to actually seek out a human is nearly unheard of. You must be a very exceptional person."

"She was…impressed by me? She enjoyed my company?" Minato repeated, pushing away from his sensei to stand on his own two feet again. "Did she love me at all?"

Naruto didn't say anything for a moment. When he answered, his voice sounded sad. "No, Hokage-ue. She did not love you. She does not love me. Demons do not feel emotions such as love. They are incapable of it." He paused. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Minato rubbed his eyes. Ugh. He wanted to know more about Kushina, but really, it was of secondary importance. She wasn't here. Naruto was. He was the issue that had to be dealt with now.

"So, whatever her feelings were, she felt enough of them to honor me with a 'gift'," he said.

"Hai, Hokage-ue. There is no higher honor. For it to be bestowed on a human is extraordinary," Naruto said, repeating his words from earlier.

"I take it there aren't a lot of other hanyou running around, then."

"No. My mother knew of no others. There may be one or two she didn't know about, but no more than that."

So Naruto was most likely one-of-a-kind. No other like him in the whole world. At least each Jinchuuriki had up to eight other people in a similar situation as they were. What a lonely existence.

Minato sighed. "And this attitude about…offspring being objects to be used is common to demons?"

"It is universal."

"What about a desire for family? Or passing on knowledge to a new generation?"

"Demons have no desire for family. They do not much like company of any sort, actually. They are not social creatures like humans are. And there is no point to passing on knowledge. Demons are basically immortal. They do not age and they do not get sick. They can be killed, but, for the most part, it is difficult to do. So they do not feel the need to have children. The only purpose for offspring is as a gift."

"Which is why, after you were born, your mother only stayed with you for four years?"

"Hai. Most demon children are born as full-grown adults with all the skills and knowledge bestowed on them by their parents. It doesn't take them very long to become strong enough to be useful. Because I am half-human, my creation was different. Okaa-sama carried me for only a few months before I was born and I grew much more rapidly than a human child for awhile. I have also been…aware from the moment I was born. Okaa-sama was able to start training me right away. When I was four years old, she deemed me ready to go out on my own. Then she left."

That comment Naruto had made earlier about never being a child had confused Minato. Now he understood, at least a little. "And you went to find Jiraiya-sensei."

Naruto nodded. "Okaa-sama couldn't help me with any of the human traits I had, like your affinities for wind and water, or my emotions."

"Your emotions?"

"It's not just love that demons can't feel. They are devoid of many emotions. So okaa-sama really had no idea how to deal with mine. She couldn't even name most of them."

Minato was getting a headache. A really bad one. This was all too much for him. He rubbed his eyes again. "Ok. Alright, so you found Jiraiya-sensei and trained with him. What about what you did a little while ago? That was definitely not something you got from me."

Naruto shook his head. "No, that was entirely my demon half. Demons have affinities like humans do. They just have more elements they can possibly be aligned with. My mother's primary affinity, and, therefore, mine as well, is blood."

Minato stared. "Blood?"

The teen nodded. "I have a…connection to it. It calls to me. It gives me energy. I can do simple things like control it, and more complicated things, like absorb a person's memories with it."

Minato blinked. "Control blood and absorb memories?"

"Among other things."

"So it was you making my cut bleed."

"Hai, Hokage-ue." He sounded sad again.

Jiraiya cut in. "He also stopped the bleeding."

"Huh?" Minato looked down. The cut was, indeed, no longer bleeding and had actually formed a scab. It looked like he had gotten it a day ago instead of less than an hour. Not only that, there was no dried blood on his skin or in his clothes like there should have been. Naruto had somehow gotten rid of it. That must have been what he was doing when he made those motions with his hand before he leapt away. "Oh. Did you stop me from moving too?"

Naruto nodded. "I don't know why my powers worked against you, though."

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Demons don't really trust each other. A gift is made in such a way that it can't turn on the recipient it is meant for, unless it is given a direct order by that recipient."

"That's why you had me command you to take the bell."

"Hai. It was the only way I could fight you."

"Well, then, doesn't that explain you being able to use your power on me?"

"No, Hokage-ue. I had obtained the bell. I had fulfilled the command. The directive no longer applied. I shouldn't have been able to do it."

"I have an idea about that," Jiraiya said. Minato turned to look at him. "I think it worked because Naruto wasn't threatening you in any way. He wasn't seeking to hurt or kill you. He made a shallow cut bleed more than usual, but you were in no danger of bleeding out. He stopped you from moving, but he didn't stop your heart or your breathing. Again, uncomfortable probably, but not actually life-threatening. I've seen him when he does intend to hurt someone, and that was nothing like it. Why do you think I didn't intervene? I knew Naruto would never, never harm you."

Minato looked back at the boy kneeling on the ground, thinking hard. He had felt threatened, especially when he couldn't move, but that was really because he had been so afraid. There was no doubt in his mind that Naruto _could_ hurt others, badly. But really, what had he done to Minato? Scared him. And licked his blood off his fingers. He sighed. "Naruto, is that possible?"

Naruto shrugged. "I suppose, Hokage-ue."

"Fine then. You had the bell. Your command had been fulfilled, as you said. So why did you use your power?" _Why did you lick my blood?_

"I lost control." It was a small whisper of sound. Minato barely heard him.

"Lost control?"

"I-I-" Naruto started. He paused, took a shaky breath, and tried again. "I said I have a connection with blood. It's more than controlling it. I…can _hear_ it. I can hear the heartbeat of every living creature. I can hear the blood moving in their veins. I can hear the sound of the energy contained in blood. It _calls_ me. To…taste it, to transfer a little of that energy into myself. And I _need _it. I crave it. I have to satisfy that need."

Minato was staring at him. "You drink blood from people?" He tried to keep the distaste out of his voice, but didn't quite succeed.

"No!" Naruto's voice actually had some force behind it for a minute, but it quickly disappeared. He flicked his eyes up to look at Jiraiya, then dropped them to the ground again. "Animals," he said softly.

Jiraiya understood. That was what Naruto was doing on his 'walks.' Hunting. And he hadn't wanted his sensei to know. He had been afraid of what the Toad Sage would think. He shook his head a little.

The boy was speaking again. "I drink from animals so it's easier to control my instincts around people. It's one of the first things okaa-sama taught me. I haven't tasted human blood in years, except for enemies'."

"That's true, Minato," Jiaiya interjected, trying to help his young student. "I haven't seen him lose it like that in a long time."

"If it's true, why today? Why my blood?" Minato asked. He had to be sure Naruto wasn't a threat to the village. He couldn't have a half-demon running around drinking peoples' blood.

"Your blood is…different from others'. Special. Because you are my father, the recipient of the gift. You are whom I am…meant for. Your blood sings to me like no other. It's the most… beautiful…music I have ever heard. I couldn't resist it. I knew it would be hard, the first time, but I underestimated just how hard. And then the clone…" he trailed off and shook his head.

"So it _was_ the clone," Jiraiya murmured. "I thought so, but I wasn't sure."

Minato was looking between the teen and his sensei. "What about the clone?"

Jiraiya replied. "Naruto was controlling himself. He was having a hard time, but he was doing it. Then the clone tried to taste your blood. Naruto is very…territorial. If someone tries to take what he considers his…well, it's not pretty."

"It's a demon instinct," Naruto said. "You defend what is yours until death. It didn't matter that the clone was, technically, me. The instant he tried to take your blood, I saw him as a rival. A competitor for my place with you. No way would I let him take your blood before I did. I didn't even think about dispersing the jutsu. He had to be shown that I was the dominant one. And once that instinct was triggered, I wasn't able to hold back."

"Before you did?" Minato repeated. "You were expecting to taste my blood at some point?"

Naruto hesitated, but nodded. "I had hoped to," he whispered. "It's the final bond."

"Final bond?"

"When a gift is accepted, there is a…bonding that takes place between the gift and the recipient. Connections related to the five senses are forged. The deepest and last one to form is the bond of taste. For me, that means tasting your blood."

Minato narrowed his eyes a little. "So this connection has been made then."

Naruto shook his head. "Not really. The blood has to be fresh from the vein. Even the little time it spent out of your body was enough to dissipate some energy and make it too weak to form the bond." The young blonde paused. "Don't worry. You have no obligation to me."

Minato narrowed his eyes further at that statement, but only asked, "What about the other bonds?"

"In place. The first time I saw you, the first time I heard your voice, the first time I smelled your scent, and the first time I felt your touch."

"And you didn't think I should have been informed of these connections before they were made?"

Naruto flinched at the anger in his father's voice, but replied in the same dead tone. "Forgive me Hokage-ue. It is not usually done that way. All demons know what receiving a gift entails. I know you are not a demon, but I didn't know how else to go about it." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I didn't see the harm in it. The first four connections only affect me. Only the final one would have had an affect on you."

"What affects do the bonds have?" The Hokage sounded a little less angry.

"You will never be hidden from my sight. I will be able to hear your voice no matter what, and I will always obey it. I will always be able to track your scent. I will be able to sense your thoughts and feelings when you touch me, if you want me to. After the final bond, you would have had all those abilities too, as well as been able to sense my thoughts and feelings without needing to touch me."

"I guess that explains why you could track me so well," Minato muttered. Then he sighed. "But what does that mean in practical terms? I'll never have any privacy?"

"No, Hokage-ue. It means that no henge or disguise or clone will ever fool me. It means that if you call to me, I will hear you speak, even if you are on the other side of the world. Your scent cannot be hidden from me, even if you cross through water or it rains. And you can speak to me without words through touch if there is something important you want to say without anyone hearing it. And you would have been able to do all the same things with me, after the final bond. Except you wouldn't need to touch me to hear my thoughts and feelings. And you would be able to hear my speech with out me calling you. You would be able to do those things any time you wanted to."

Minato shuddered a little. It sounded like Naruto was the one that wouldn't have any privacy. "So I could tell if you were plotting rebellion, huh?"

It had been a sarcastic remark, but Naruto didn't seem to pick up on that. "Hai, Hokage-ue, among other things."

Minato stared at him. He was doing a lot of that. "And you're ok with that?" he asked, anger once again seeping into his voice. "You don't mind me just picking out your thoughts or listening to your conversations without your consent?"

Naruto looked up at him, surprise flickering briefly in his eyes before dying out again. "Of course not, Hokage-ue. Why would I mind? I want to be of use to you. If you are bothering to listen to my thoughts or speech, it means that I have fulfilled my purpose. Nothing could be of greater importance to me."

Minato exploded. It had been a long day, a very long day, and he couldn't take it anymore. "Stop it! Just stop!" he yelled at the boy. Naruto's eyes widened, but he made no other move. "Stop talking like you are some object, some tool, some weapon for me to wield! You have your own life, your own soul! You are your own person! Humans are not—" he stopped his rant abruptly, breathing hard.

Naruto's face hadn't changed, but his eyes were suddenly and completely full of a deep, desperate pain and Minato felt his gut twist with guilt. He had caused that pain, with his lost temper and stupid words.

Naruto lowered his gaze. "_Humans_, perhaps, are not tools. But I am a hanyou," he said. "As such, I _am_ a tool. My mother created me specifically to serve you. She even made me to look like you. It is the purpose in my life. I want nothing more than to stay by your side and to be of use to you. That desire is a part of me and I cannot change it. I cannot bond with another. You are my home. I belong nowhere else."

Minato watched the boy in front of him for a long moment. "What if I don't want a tool for a son?" he asked quietly.

Naruto seemed to shrink in on himself. "Then refuse the gift," he whispered. "I don't know how to be anything else, but what I am."

Minato said nothing. He stood there a moment longer, then turned to Jiraiya and plucked his coat off the man's shoulder, where it had been the whole time. He put it on, turned on his heel, and began walking out of the clearing. Jiraiya watched him go, but Naruto never lifted his eyes from the ground.

When Minato reached the trees, he paused. "I have to think about this," he said without turning his head. "Stay here. I'll find you when I have made my decision." And he leapt into the trees.


	5. Acceptance

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 5

**_Acceptance_**

Naruto blinked at the spot where his father had disappeared. Surely his decision had been made? But the way he phrased it...maybe there was still hope?

No, no it was foolish to think that way. His father had said it himself--he didn't want a tool for a son. Ironic that the thing Naruto had hoped would be his salvation turned out to be his damnation. He had spent his entire life trying to mold himself into a good warrior so his father would find him useful and want to keep him around. But that very thing was what the Hokage seemed to find so distasteful.

He just wanted to serve his father! Why was that so wrong? He didn't understand. But it didn't matter. The Hokage would reject him. The bonds would be broken. He would be purposeless.

Naruto sank back into the darkness of despair.

* * *

Jiraiya watched his young student. He hadn't moved for the last hour, not since Minato had gone. The sun was sinking behind the trees, throwing long shadows across the clearing. The air was turning cool.

The white-haired ninja walked towards the kneeling teen. The young man didn't look up from the ground, didn't turn.

"Naruto," Jiraiya said.

No response.

He sighed and squeezed the blonde's shoulder. "It'll be alright, Naruto."

Nothing.

He left. He didn't think Naruto would notice.

* * *

Minato was sitting on top of the Hokage Monument. On top of the Third's head, to be exact. He often came here to think. He liked the feeling of closeness to his predecessor it gave him. It was also a secluded place and had a wonderful view of the village. Sometimes he needed to be reminded why he did what he did.

He dropped his head in his hands. Tonight, even that wasn't enough. He had stared out over the village until the sun had dipped below the horizon and the stars came out. The peace he usually felt in this place, the clarity that usually came to him, was missing. He had taken some pills for his headache, and that had dulled the pain but not gotten rid of it completely.

The woman he loved had been a demon. That was fact number one he couldn't quite grasp. She had borne--or created, or whatever in hell you called it--a son. His son. Fact number two. Who was a fifteen-year-old half-demon whose only purpose in life was to serve him. Who saw himself as some sort of gift. Fact number three.

And now Minato had a choice to make. Accept the gift or not. The very thought of letting Naruto bind himself to Minato, giving Minato a ridiculous amount of control over him, made the Hokage feel sick. He never wanted such power over another living being, half-demon or not. So he was leaning towards not accepting.

(_Really?_ A small, traitorous voice in the back of his head said. _I'm not the tiniest bit excited to have such a gift literally laid at my feet? My ego wasn't stoked by the fact that a demon was so impressed with me, she gave me a son? He said I must be exceptional…_ )

He wouldn't throw Naruto out, though. Of course not. He could stay in the village. He could even be a ninja. Then Minato could try to break him of this ridiculous notion that he only existed to serve.

(He_ doesn't think it's ridiculous…he_ wants _to serve me...why not give him what he wants? Don't all the other ninja in the village serve me too?_)

On the other hand, he had the council and the people of the village to worry about. Konoha tended to be an open-minded place. It's why so many ninja clans with special abilities ended up here. They didn't face the same sort of fear and persecution they got in other parts of the world--Mist being a classic example. But there was a limit. Minato had no illusions on that score. If Naruto's heritage were ever discovered, there would be hell to pay. And he didn't think it would stay a secret forever. They could pass his power off as a kekkei genkai for only so long. What if he lost control again?

Minato wasn't worried for himself--although his enemies would certainly make good use of the fact that he had slept with a demon if they ever found out about it--he was worried for Naruto. The council would most likely demand he be executed, or be banished at the very least. And while Minato could do, or not do, whatever he damn well pleased, a village divided was a village ripe for coups and civil war. He would never allow that to happen to the people he swore to protect. He might have to choose between his village and Naruto. And he knew what his decision would have to be.

(_He's a powerful ninja, even at fifteen. Imagine what he'll be like in ten years. Imagine what I could do with him…my enemies would never dare touch me, or my village…he could help me protect everyone..._)

So maybe it was better if he didn't let Naruto stay. Jiraiya would need someone to take over the spy network eventually, after all. He could show Naruto the ropes. Then Naruto would still be a part of Konoha, but he wouldn't be in the village very much.

(_I want to keep him near me…I've always wanted a son…even if he scares me..._)

The secret of his heritage would stay safe that way. Was that the best way to protect him?

(_I'm lonely...I'd be thrilled to have someone so totally devoted to me, who would never leave me..._)

Minato groaned. He wasn't getting anywhere. He lifted his head and unzipped one of his vest pockets. He took out the object he had placed there earlier in the day. A hitai ite on a piece of long, black cloth. He ran his fingers over the Leaf symbol etched in the metal. He'd had Hisa get it made while he was in that meeting. He had planned on presenting it to Naruto after his test. Now he didn't know what to do with it.

He sighed. "I don't know what to do," he said aloud.

"Yes, you do," a voice replied.

The Yondaime turned. Jiraiya was standing, watching him. He turned back to gaze out over the village again. Everything was silent, save for the sound of the wind.

"You have to accept."

Minato jerked his head around. "What?!" That wasn't what he thought the Toad Sage would say. "I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"It's wrong! I'd be buying into that bullshit Kushina put in his head! I'd be taking his life away from him!"

Jiraiya shook his head. "No, you'd be giving him his life."

Minato blinked at his teacher.

"You saw him, before you left. I went back a little while ago. He hasn't moved. He didn't look at me; he didn't answer me when I spoke to him. I don't think he even noticed when I put his jacket on his shoulders. He was broken, lifeless. I think I know why. He has said it multiple times. His life, his purpose, is to be accepted by you. To serve you. He was excited to finally come here, to meet you. He was so sure he could impress you enough that you would accept him, despite what he is. But after he lost control, he thought that was it. Did you notice how he spoke, when he was answering your questions? He 'had hoped' to make the final bond with you. 'Had' that happened, you 'would have been' able to do all those things he talked about. He phrased everything in the past tense. Like you had already rejected him. I truly believe he thinks he ruined his chances to gain your acceptance. If so, what is left for him? He believes he has no life, no purpose anymore. We both know what happens when a man has no purpose."

"But…he could find a new purpose…I could help…"

"No, you couldn't. He has NO other purpose. It's not something you can change."

Minato shook his head. "I don't understand that."

"You don't have to. It will make him happy. He wants this. Why are you so resistant?"

"Just because we want something, that doesn't make it right," Minato said softly.

Jiraiya paused. "You want this too," he murmured.

Minato looked away, out over the village again, although he didn't really see it this time. His fingers stroked the cool metal of the headband.

"Damn it, Minato, then just accept!"

"Why are you pushing me like this?!" Minato yelled.

"Because I want to see my students happy!" the big man yelled back. "I know this will make Naruto happy. I know this will make you happy. You have always wanted a son. And don't think I don't know how lonely you are here."

Minato didn't know what to say to that. He should have known his sensei would pick up on his feelings, even though he wasn't in Konoha that much.

"I can't protect him here. When it gets out what he is…" Minato said.

"That's just an excuse. What better protection could he have than being bound to the commands of the Hokage? He can't do anything to harm the people of this village if you order him not to."

Minato shuddered. "I couldn't do something like that to him!"

"I know you don't like it, but it will appease the council. They may not trust him, they may not like him, but they won't be able to complain that he is a threat."

Minato hadn't thought of that. Would it work? It might...

(_Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash…isn't that what Obito said? What about those who abandon their sons?_)

Silence.

"It reminds me of Zabuza and Haku. That relationship is so twisted."

Jiraiya shook his head. "Your relationship is whatever the two of you want it to be. He's not a tool if you don't treat him like one, no matter what sort of bond you possess."

(_This way, everyone is happy..._)

* * *

Naruto sat in the clearing. The only movement he had made since his father left was to tilt his head back and gaze at the stars. He had always liked watching them. He wondered what it would be like to be one, hanging in the night sky, surrounded by brethren. If he was a star, though, he supposed he would be the Evening star. The one that appeared low down on the horizon, away from all the other stars. It burned brightly, but didn't stay for long.

His father told him to wait, so he was. But he didn't have any hope. He was only waiting to see what his father would do with his discarded gift. Even though, in the end, it didn't matter what the Hokage said. He knew what he would do.

It wouldn't be long now; Naruto could sense him coming. He slowly reached behind him and pulled his katana out of its sheath, his jacket falling unnoticed from his shoulders. He held the sword for a moment in his hand, savoring its feel. Then he laid it carefully on the ground in front of him, blade pointing to his left. He was ready. He went back to watching the stars.

* * *

Minato landed in the clearing, Jiraiya right behind him. He took a moment to survey the scene. Naruto was still kneeling in the exact same spot he had been when Minato had left. His katana was lying on the ground in front of him. He was staring at it.

"What the hell?" Minato hissed lowly.

Jiraiya just sighed. Again. Naruto looked like a condemned man prepared for seppuku.

"Goddamn it!" Minato swore, stalking forward. Jiraiya followed at a safe distance behind him. This was really between the two of them anyway.

Minato was angry, very angry. Mostly at himself for waiting so long, for putting his son through this. For not doing the right thing in the first place. But also at Kushina, and Jiraiya, and a little bit at the boy in front of him. It may have been silly, or unfair, but he had enough anger to go around and he was a generous man by nature.

He came right up to the teen, who was still looking at the ground.

"Naruto, look at me," he snapped. When the younger blonde had complied, he continued. "What the hell is this?"

Naruto blinked. "I don't understand, Hokage-ue."

The formal title, delivered in such a dead tone, set Minato's teeth on edge. In one fluid movement he slid his foot under the sword, flicked the hilt end up and snatched it out of the air. "What the hell are you doing sitting here, looking like you're about to stick your katana through your gut?"

Naruto blinked again, but answered. "Being prepared, Hokage-ue."

"Prepared for what?" Minato growled.

"Prepared for your decision."

"And you are so sure you know what it will be?"

Naruto looked down again. "What else could it be?" he whispered. "I saw your face."

Minato narrowed his eyes. "What about my face?"

"You were afraid of me. I…disgusted you. Those feelings lead to hate. They…always do. And you don't just hate my demon half. You hate the fact that I want to serve you. I don't understand why it's so bad, but it is. And I can't change it. I can't change what I am, not even for you. So, there is nothing for me to do and no way I can make you want me." Naruto s voice was a whisper by the end of his speech.

Minato's anger drained away and was replaced by profound sadness and pity. "Fear and disgust always lead to hate, huh? I take it you have experienced this first-hand," he said softly. What had happened in the four years his son was on his own?

Naruto merely nodded.

"Well, I ask that you not lump me in with the rest of those fools," Minato said. Naruto's head snapped up. "I do not hate you. I will never hate you. You are my son."

Naruto's eyes were huge. Minato thought they might pop out of his head. He jabbed the sword in the ground and dropped to his knees in front of the teen. He pulled him into an embrace for the second time that day.

"I love you," he whispered, willing Naruto to feel the truth of his words through his touch. He didn't really know how to control the power, but he hoped it would work.

Naruto was stiff as a board, not believing it. But suddenly he gasped and clutched at Minato's back. He buried his face in his father's shoulder once again and sobbed.

Minato stroked his back, trying to exude comforting feelings. "Let it out, Naruto," he murmured. "That's right…I'm here…"

When his son's sobs quieted, Minato leaned back a little, pushing Naruto gently away so he could see his face. Naruto wiped his eyes and his nose with one sleeve, sniffling a little, looking for all the world like an eight-year-old boy instead of a fifteen-year-old young man. He was smiling, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Minato smiled inwardly. What he was about to say would change that.

"Naruto…" he said gently, his hands on his son's shoulders. "You are the most beautiful, most wonderful, most exquisite gift anyone has ever given me." Minato thought Naruto's eyes couldn't be wider, but he had been wrong. They now opened to an impossible size. His smile vanished and he stared at his father with undisguised shock, his mouth hanging slightly open. "I am truly honored," Minato continued. "And I humbly accept it. I would be proud to have you by my side."

Naruto made a strangled noise in his throat. It sounded like 'wu-wu-haa…' He took a choking breath and tried again. "W-wha-aat?" There, at least that was somewhat recognizable.

"You heard me."

"B-but, I-I th-thought-t…"

"You thought wrong."

Silence. Naruto stared for a minute.

"R-really? Y-you accept me?"

"Yes."

More silence. Then…

"YYYYEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!"

Naruto exploded. He leapt up from his kneeling position and punched his fist in the air. He twirled in place and jumped towards Jiraiya, who was shaking with laughter.

"Ero-sennin, Ero-sennin!" he called. "I did it! I did it! I told you I'd do it!" He landed in front of the Toad Sage with the biggest smile Jiraiya had ever seen on his face. His sensei enveloped him in a hug and he hugged right back. Minato, watching from the ground, suppressed a pang of jealousy.

"I knew you would," Jiraiya said. "And didn't I tell you he'd accept you?"

"Yes," the young blonde replied, still grinning. But then he blinked his eyes and his grin faltered. He swayed on his feet. "Ero-sennin?" he murmured. "I feel…kinda…" He collapsed into the big man's chest.

* * *

The white-haired ninja chuckled as he lowered Naruto to the ground. He laid his young student on his back and arranged his limbs in a comfortable position. Minato was by his side in an instant, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Too much emotion," the Toad Sage said. "He's gone from the depths of despair to the pinnacle of happiness in a very short time. Not to mention the fact that he sat in one damn position for something like three hours."

Minato's expression cleared at his sensei's explanation and he smiled. "Yes, I'm surprised he could move at all."

"Adrenaline I suppose. He's probably going to hurt like hell when he wakes up."

Minato chuckled too. "Probably." He moved towards Naruto's feet.

* * *

Naruto became aware of amusement first. He was amused. Why? What was so funny? He thought he might open his eyes and find out.

Before he could do that, however, he became aware of pain. Mostly in his legs. They were sore all over, but he also felt a flare of pain like tiny needles jabbing into his skin that was traveling down his left calf.

He twitched and became aware of the fact that his head was resting on something that didn't feel like the ground and someone was stroking his hair. His headband was missing.

"He's coming around." The baritone voice was smooth and cool, like water over stones in a river. The sound set his bones to humming a little before the sensation faded away. His father. His eyes flew open.

The Hokage was looking down at him, his face upside down, his lips stretched in an amused smile. Naruto blinked a few times. His father was amused too? Although, now that he thought about it, Naruto wasn't particularly amused. Not with the pain in his legs and the ache in his back. So then, why…? It hit him. His father was amused. Naruto was feeling his father's emotions through his touch. The thought made him smile.

"Welcome back, Naruto," the Hokage said, still smiling. Naruto noticed the older blonde was sitting cross-legged on the ground and Naruto's head was resting in his lap on something soft--his jacket, probably. His father was the one touching his hair.

Naruto's smile widened. He wanted to run and shout and dance all at the same time. He had never been so happy in his entire life. Ever. His father accepted him. His father wanted him. His father _loved_ him. It was more than he had ever hoped for.

He twitched again and Jiraiya's voice floated over to him. "Oy! Keep still! I'm trying to work here!"

Naruto glanced down. His father's coat was spread across him, although it was folded up so his legs weren't covered. His feet were bare and his pants and protective mesh leggings had been rolled up to his knees. The Toad Sage was methodically massaging his calves. That's what the needling pain was.

Naruto winced at a particularly acute jab. "Sorry, Ero-sennin," he said, his voice scratchy.

"Yeah, yeah. Brat," the big man muttered.

Naruto frowned. "When are you going to stop calling me 'brat'?" he asked.

"When are you going to stop calling me 'Ero-sennin'?"

The Hokage laughed at their banter, flooding Naruto with his amusement. "My guess is, never."

Naruto smiled. He couldn't help it. He was just too happy.

The Toad Sage leaned back. "I think that's good," he said. "Try sitting up, Naruto."

Naruto nodded. "Thanks, Sensei." He pushed on his elbows and struggled up, his father supporting his back. His hair, unbound by his headband, flopped in his face. "Ugh."

"How are you feeling?" the Hokage asked.

"Sore, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied. He examined his legs. He had angry red lines scored in his flesh above his ankles and below his toes from his sandals. He also had an interesting criss-cross pattern impressed in the skin of his calves from the mesh leggings. Well, that's what he got for kneeling for three hours like an idiot. But…it was worth it. He broke out in a huge grin. "But I don't really care about that."

His father's laugh bubbled out again from behind him. Naruto loved that sound. "No, I suppose you don't." His father paused. "Speaking of which…"

Naruto did his best to turn and look at the Hokage, although all he really managed was turning his head and half-twisting his back.

"There is a final bond that needs to be made, right?"

Naruto blinked at him.

"Only if you are up to it," the Hokage rushed on. "I don't really know what it entails, so I don't know if you need to wait, or--"

He was interrupted by a choked noise from Naruto that sounded suspiciously like a sob. The young blonde whipped his head back around, away from his father, trying desperately not to cry. Again. He'd already cried enough today. His hands clutched the Hokage's coat still in his lap.

His father was by his side in an instant, looking worriedly into his face.

"Naruto, what's wrong? Is it what I said? We can wait, it doesn't have to be tonight…"

Naruto shook his head and tried to turn his face away, but his father wouldn't let him. The older ninja grabbed his chin in his hand and turned his son's head back towards him. "Naruto look at me."

Naruto obeyed, lifting his eyes to his father's, inwardly cursing the few tears that had managed to leak out. He could feel the concern his father was feeling, and a hint of guilt that he may have hurt his son somehow. It just made Naruto want to cry more.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing, Hokage-sama."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I'm not c-crying," Naruto replied.

The Hokage cocked one eyebrow at him.

"I-I'm just h-happy!" Naruto exclaimed. "I d-didn't know you could c-cry when you were happy! I-I've always w-wanted this, and I-I thought this would be the p-part you'd h-hate the most, and now you w-want to do it r-right away…" He was babbling, and he knew it, but he just couldn't seem to stop.

The Hokage was smiling. "Ok, Naruto. I understand." He released his son's chin. "So you are ok to do this now?"

Naruto nodded, still trying to control his breathing. His hands played with the coat in his lap.

"What exactly do I have to do?"

"W-Well…uh, you cut your thumb, like for summoning," Naruto explained, finally breathing normally. "Then you smear some on my forehead, like this--" he made a motion with his hand, a simple swipe, right to left, across his head. "Then you give me your hand, and I take some. And that's it."

"Sounds simple enough. Will I feel anything?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. I will, and I think you might, but I don't know what." He paused, looking nervous. "Also, I might…ah…"

"Lose control again?"

"Yeah."

"It's ok, Naruto. I know what to expect this time."

Naruto smiled hesitantly. He said that…but what if…? He shook himself. His father had agreed. There was no way to go but forward. "Ok, Hokage-sama, are you ready?"

His father nodded.

Naruto pulled his father's coat off his lap. He pulled his legs in so he was sitting cross-legged, wincing all the while. The Hokage moved around to face him, crossing his legs in a similar fashion. He was close enough that he was almost touching Naruto's knees with his own. Jiraiya had stood and moved back a couple paces to give them some space.

"Ok," Naruto whispered, taking a few deep breaths.

The Yondaime pulled a kunai out of his pouch and made a cut on his right thumb. The scent of his blood flooded the air and Naruto caught his breath. The familiar scent was just as heady, but Naruto found it was a little bit easier to maintain his control. He leaned forward, keeping his gaze locked on his father's.

The Hokage brushed Naruto's blonde locks out of the way with his left hand and swiped his thumb across Naruto's forehead. It felt like fire. The instant it touched his skin, it burned, although it was a comforting heat instead of a painful one. He gasped, and the Yondaime paused, a questioning look on his face. Naruto just nodded a little, signaling that he was alright, that the older man should continue.

The Hokage lowered his hand and Naruto raised his own to grab it. It was shaking a little, but Naruto was pleased to see the nails were perfectly normal. He grasped his father's hand and brought the bleeding thumb slowly to his mouth. He parted his lips and licked the cut.

It was perfect.

It was the most delicious flavor, the most beautiful music. Everything else disappeared but the sound and the taste. He had thought it had been intense earlier, but that was nothing compared to this. Energy coursed through his body; he thought his heart might explode. His own blood sang with his father's; a perfect counterpoint. His heartbeat instantly matched with the rhythm provided by his father's heartbeat. He was lost in wave after wave of pure bliss. Perfect happiness.

He could have been in that state forever, or for a second, when a discordant note sounded in the symphony and a slight bitterness appeared in the taste. He frowned. What was this feeling?

Fear...

...and guilt?

His eyes snapped open.

He was looking at his father's face. The Hokage was crying, silent tears falling to land on Naruto's cheeks. Naruto realized he was lying on his back and his father was leaning over him, one hand resting on the ground near his head, the other clamped firmly between Naruto's teeth. He must have bit down at some point. He relaxed his jaw, releasing his father's hand. It hurt because his father winced slightly. But he made no sound. Naruto ran his tongue over his teeth and noticed they were sharper then they should have been, and not just his canines. He looked at the Hokage's hand. Instead of one small cut, he now had two puncture wounds on his thumb. Naruto hoped they didn't go all the way through.

He pushed his instincts back, and watched as the claws holding his father's hand started to retreat. He removed his other hand from the Hokage's arm, which he had gripped some time during the bonding, and waved his fingers over the wounds. The bleeding stopped instantly. He hesitated a moment, but then brought the thumb back to his mouth and licked the blood off. Why waste it?

He didn't miss his father's flinch or the wave of guilt that followed it. He sighed. His loss of control must have been pretty spectacular.

His father's blood was still the best thing he had ever had, but the reaction wasn't nearly as strong. He didn't think he would ever feel that wonderful again. He sighed again and released his father's hand. At least he'd gotten to feel it once. He started to sit up.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," his father murmured as he moved back, giving his son space. He wiped his eyes quickly.

"Why?" the young blonde asked, confused.

The Hokage shook his head. "You were so happy…and I ruined it."

Naruto blinked. "What?"

"I could feel your happiness. It was incredible. It was the most amazing thing I've ever felt. And I could hear…something…it was beautiful. And I wanted you to stay there, in that place, for as long as you wanted. But, I…" he trailed off. "I was still aware of what was going on here, and you were leaking that…that feeling, like earlier. Only it was worse. I was trying so hard not to be afraid, not to let it through to you, but I failed. And that brought you back. I'm sorry."

Naruto smiled. "You don't need to apologize, Hokage-sama. Jiraiya-sensei says that in order to be better people, we have to face our fear. And you did, ne? I'm sure that, eventually, you won't be afraid anymore." Minato stared at his son, surprised by his words. But Naruto didn't give him time to reply. "Anyway, I am happy I got to feel it at all. And I'm happy you got to feel it too. And hear the music! Isn't it wonderful? That's the song your blood sings. Well, this time, it was the song our blood sang together."

Minato blinked a few times. "You hear that when you taste my blood?" Naruto nodded. "Wow."

Naruto grinned. But then he frowned. "What happened? How long was I…out of it?"

Jiraiya spoke up. "It was only a minute or two, Naruto. Just after you licked Minato's finger, you lost it, and fell backwards. You even started leaking a little chakra."

"Really?" Naruto questioned. He shuddered a little. It had been bad then. He was glad it was just a little chakra. Too much and…well...the situation would have been worse.

Jiraiya nodded. "It was only some small wisps. Anyway, you were like that for just a bit, and then you woke up."

"Naruto, something happened to your forehead," the Hokage said. "The blood I smeared there seemed to sink into your skin, and then a seal appeared. Do you know what that's about?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, but I guess it has something to do with the ability to sense thoughts and emotions. Is it still there?"

The Yondaime shook his head. "No, it faded. I'd like to see if we can make it reappear though. I'm interested in it."

Naruto grinned. "Right, you're a Seal Master. If you like, I can show you the seals on my soul too."

Minato stared. "What?! Seals on your soul?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, okaa-sama made them."

"S-sure, Naruto. I'd like to see that sometime," the older blonde stuttered. His son just kept surprising him. "But right now, I don't think I can handle it. I feel like I've been run over by a ninja platoon."

Minato got wearily to his feet and pulled Naruto up after him. He rubbed his eyes. His headache was back with a vengeance. "Alright, musuko," Naruto gasped and smiled brilliantly at the word, but didn't say anything. "We are bonded completely, right? There are no other steps to accepting you?"

"No, Hokage-sama, that was the final bond. All the steps are completed."

"Good."

Naruto grinned and scratched the back of his head. "Ano, Hokage-sama, do you know where my headband is? It's just my hair gets in my eyes without it, and it's kind of hard to run like that…"

The Yondaime chuckled. "I have the same problem," he said, gesturing to his own unruly spikes. "And I have your headband right here." He reached into one of his vest pockets and pulled out, not Naruto's plain black band, but a Leaf hitai ite.

Naruto sucked in his breath. It was the symbol of a Konoha nin. His father was making him a ninja under his command. It was everything he'd ever wanted.

"Uzumaki Naruto," his father said, in a serious voice. Naruto straightened his shoulders and bowed, his own face totally serious.

"Hai, Yondaime Hokage-sama."

"I am accepting you into the ranks of Konoha nin, level Chuunin." The Yondaime stepped forward and tied the headband around Naruto's forehead. "Congratulations."

"Arigatou, Hokage-sama," Naruto said, with another bow. When he straightened, he found himself being hugged by his father.

"I'm so proud of you, musuko," the older man murmured.

Naruto merely squeezed his father back. His smile could outshine the sun.

The Hokage released him and stepped back. He walked to where his coat was lying, picked it up, shook it out, and put it on. "Now, it's been an extremely long day. I have a headache the size of Fire Country, and I desperately want to sleep. So, I suggest we head back. Don't forget your jacket, Naruto."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Naruto called. He bent to pick his jacket up from the ground where it had fallen from his father's lap. Then he made his way to where his katana was stuck in the earth. He plucked it out and slid it smoothly into the sheath strapped to his back. He put his jacket on and zipped it up. It was black with an orange lining and a high, ribbed collar. An orange swirl that ended in a leaping flame on the back was its only decoration.

He was just turning to where his father and the Toad Sage waited when something silver caught his eye. It was the bell. He grinned and swiped it up off the ground, then ran to join the two men.

* * *

In the mountains to the west of the Village Hidden in Leaves, in the gardens of a relatively small but richly furnished traditional house, a dark-haired teen paused in his training. It was dark, but he wanted to finish this last set of katana forms before turning in for the night.

He dropped his stance and pressed his free hand into his stomach. A deep rumble was emanating from there and it echoed in his head. What was that damn fox up to now? He didn't think it was an angry growl, not like the Kyuubi usually made. And that threatening, fear-inducing feeling he usually had when the fox acted up wasn't there either. Instead, it was more of a…a...an amused feeling. _Amused?_ The fox was _amused_? Was he _laughing_?!

"Is something wrong, Sasuke?" a voice called from the direction of the house.

The teen shook his head. "No, nothing, onii-san," he replied, getting back into his stance. "I'll be done in a moment."

A pause. "Don't let your tea get cold."

"Hai, onii-san."


	6. Friend?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 6

**_Friend?_**

Naruto was awake, sitting cross-legged on the balcony of his room, when the Hokage knocked on the door. He grinned to himself. He knew it was the Hokage; he could sense it.

Naruto had dressed in a fresh set of training clothes that morning, eaten a small meal made up of leftover rations from his pack, and carefully tied his hitai ite on his forehead. He had stared at himself in the mirror for a while after that, fingering the metal, hardly believing what he was seeing. Then he had carefully cleaned and oiled his katana and stored it in the seal on his left wrist. Now, he was waiting for his father before he went out for his morning training.

He jumped to his feet and ran to open the door. He bowed to the older blonde and stepped back to let him in. "Good morning, Hokage-sama."

"Is it?" the Hokage muttered. He walked in and immediately sprawled out on the couch. "Naruto, go get sensei would you?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The young blonde bowed and left the room.

He knocked on the door next to his. No answer. He was pretty sure the Toad Sage wouldn't be awake yet. He knocked again, somewhat louder. Nothing. He tried the knob. It was locked. So Ero-sennin had taken to locking his doors, huh? Naruto smirked and fished a small case from one of the pouches on his belt.

In less than a minute, Naruto picked the lock. He opened the door and walked in. As he had suspected, the white-haired man was sprawled on his futon, sleeping soundly. Now, what would be the best way to wake him?

Naruto grinned evilly. Yes, that would do.

* * *

One minute later...

"NNNAAARRRRUUUTTTTOOO!" The scream could be heard all around Konoha. "YOU BRAT!"

Naruto flung himself through his open balcony door, rushed into the sitting room and screeched to a halt in front of the Yondaime. He arranged his features into a blank-looking mask, bowed, and said, "Jiraiya-sensei will be here in a moment, Hokage-sama." He then sank down on a cushion on the floor near the couch.

Minato just stared at him, his lips twitching.

Two heartbeats later, Jiraiya flung open the door. "Uzumaki…" he growled. Minato couldn't hold it in; he burst into laughter.

The Toad Sage was soaked, his white hair plastered to his head, his pajama shirt stuck to his chest. He was glaring daggers at the young blonde, still seated serenely on the cushion.

"Hokage-sama requested your presence, Jiraiya-sensei," the blonde receiving the death look said in a perfectly neutral tone. "And you were still asleep."

"You. Are. Dead." The big man hissed and made a move towards his young student, but the Hokage's voice stopped him.

"Hold on, Jiraiya-sensei," he said, voice still laced with laughter. "As much as I would like to see you chase Naruto around, we have more important business. Go get dried off and come back here, please."

The big man grumbled, shot one last glare at Naruto, and complied.

The Hokage turned to his son, who had started grinning the second Jiraiya's back was turned. "Is this a common occurrence?" he asked.

Naruto shrugged. "Ero-sennin knows the consequences if he oversleeps. And he should know that locked doors aren't enough to keep me out."

The Hokage shook his head slightly. "I take that as a 'yes'," he muttered. "As amusing as it is, next time, just shake his shoulder or something, ok?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the young ninja replied cheerily, still grinning.

Jiraiya returned a few minutes later, dressed and somehow not soaking wet anymore. He sat next to his first student on the couch and gave him an appraising look. "You don't look so hot, Minato," he said.

The Hokage groaned. "I know, I barely slept and this damn headache will _not_ go away." He sighed. "But, I have things to do." He turned to his sensei. "Sensei, I've cleared the morning to meet with you. Naruto," he turned to his son, "unfortunately, that means you are on your own. I have, however, arranged for someone to show you around the village. It's early, so he is probably still training, but afterwards–" He paused, his eyes taking in his son's attire and the way his eyes lit up at the word 'training'. "Were you going to train this morning?" Naruto nodded. "Well, perhaps you could join him then." He smirked, but Naruto didn't really notice it.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" he said excitedly.

"Return to my office for lunch, and we'll discuss what I want you to do next, hmmm?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Naruto leapt up, only to be waved back down by the blonde on the couch.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," he said, chuckling at the boy's enthusiasm. "Before you go I have a few things to say." He took a breath and his voice turned serious. "The fact that Naruto is my son is officially an S-ranked secret of the Leaf. The events of yesterday and the truth about the rest of Naruto's heritage and…kekkei genkai are officially SS-ranked secrets. I assume you know what that means, Naruto?"

His son nodded, his serious expression mirroring his father's.

Jiraiya snorted. "Kakashi will know he's your son. The Nara kid too, from what you've told me. Actually, anyone with half a brain will take one look at him and see you are related."

The Hokage shrugged. "I know. That's why it's not SS-ranked too. It's the piece of information we have the least ability to control. But if I dangle it in front of my enemies, in the guise of an S-ranked secret, they won't dig around any further. At least, not for a while, I hope." Jiraiya nodded, approving the strategy. "And if I don't officially declare Naruto to be my son, that buys us some time. All they will have is rumor and speculation, and they won't try something against a Konoha nin without more proof than that. Naruto," he turned to his son once again. "It's not that I don't want to claim you as my son–I do. I want to shout it from the rooftops. But it will make you a target for anyone wanting to get to me. I want to put that off as long as possible."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the young blonde replied. "I understand."

"The same with your powers. You are not to use them unless it's a life or death situation, or I give the ok. But I am not ashamed of them, or _you_ in any way. And I don't think we can keep them a secret forever. You most likely _will_ have to use them sometime. I just know that when the truth is discovered…" he trailed off.

"I know, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied, quietly. He knew all too well what happened when even half the truth was discovered. His father didn't need to remind him.

The Hokage placed a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. Naruto glanced at him gratefully, feeling his father's concern, but his expression changed to puzzlement when he saw the look on his father's face. "Hokage-sama?" he asked.

The Yondaime had a blank expression on his face and his eyes were glazed and unfocused. Suddenly, his face twisted in pain and he hissed, then clutched at his head. "Hokage-sama!" Naruto cried, a little panicked. He reached his own hand out, but Jiraiya's voice stopped him.

"Naruto, wait. Don't touch him."

"Why, sensei?"

"I think your touch makes it worse."

"What?!"

Jiraiya said nothing, but placed his own hand on his older student's shoulder. "Minato," he said, calmly.

"Y-yes, sensei?" the Hokage replied shakily, lifting his head from his hands. His eyes tried to focus on the man next to him, but they were bleary.

"What just happened?"

"I don't know, exactly. I've been getting these strange images in my head, but I don't recognize them. Some of them are fairly complete, but others are just flashes or snatches. You are in some of them, Jiraiya, but I don't remember ever having been with you in some of the places I see in the images. Anyway, when I touched Naruto, the images sort of…took over. They were all I could see, but they were coming so fast I couldn't really comprehend them. And I felt this intense sadness and loneliness…and pain…I thought my head might split open…" he trailed off and looked at Naruto.

Naruto was looking down. He understood now. "Gomen, Hokage-sama," he said, sadly. "It's my fault."

"Huh?" The Hokage was a little slow this morning.

"It's not your fault, Naruto," Jiraiya said. He turned to the older blonde on the couch. "It's the bond, Minato," he explained. "Remember? You can basically read Naruto's mind; you can pick up on his thoughts and feelings now. I think that is what those flashes are. You are seeing his memories and picking up his thoughts. Touch must enhance the connection."

The Yondaime blinked a few times and then rubbed his eyes. "Well, that would make sense," he muttered. "That explains why I didn't recognize anything." He opened his eyes again to look at his son. "Naruto, this is not your fault. If it's anyone's, it's mine because I obviously can't control this… connection we have."

"But, Hokage-sama–"

"But nothing," the older man said firmly. "I will not have you feeling guilty over this."

His son nodded, but didn't look convinced.

"Trying to shoulder blame that isn't yours isn't terribly constructive. You _can_ help by telling us what you know about this connection and how I might control it."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Naruto said, looking a little less sad. He was happiest when he had a task to complete. "But, I don't know that much. I only know the way it's supposed to work. You can read my thoughts and emotions at any time. I can read yours if we are touching and you will me to do so."

"Which explains why you aren't having the same trouble as Minato," Jiraiya interjected.

"Yes, Jiraiya-sensei," Naruto said. "I don't know about controlling it, though. I didn't need that knowledge, so okaa-sama didn't give it to me. Maybe if you build a barrier around your mind…?"

"A barrier? How do I do that?"

"Uhhh…well, you go into your mindscape and just sort of picture a wall, you know? And then you work on making it bigger and stronger…" Naruto shrugged.

Minato sighed. His son's explanation left something to be desired. "Well, I'll try it I guess."

"You could always consult the Yamanaka," Jiraiya said. "They are the mind experts."

"Yes, well, the whole point of an SS-class secret is that hardly anyone knows about it," the Yondaime said drily. "I'd really rather not bring them into this."

Jiraiya shrugged. "You might not have a choice. Besides, you don't have to tell them the real reason you want their help."

"Fine, I'll think about it." The Hokage sighed again. "Enough chit-chat. Naruto." His son straightened, giving his undivided attention to his father. "The person I assigned to show you around is named Rock Lee. He will be outside the west gates sometime in the next half an hour or so, if you want to train with him. Don't forget; return to my office for lunch. Dismissed!"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Naruto exclaimed and dashed out, pausing only to grab his sandals from their place by the door. He totally missed the look his sensei was giving his father.

As soon as he was gone, Jiraiya burst out laughing. "Lee? You got _Lee_ to show him around?"

Minato grinned. "Yeah. I thought they would get along well. And Lee-kun is a very…friendly person. Just the sort to make Naruto feel welcome here, don't you think?"

Jiraiya just laughed harder, shaking his head. But his laughter died out as the Yondaime continued speaking.

"One of the more complete images I got from Naruto was you, with a nosebleed, pointing at him and saying something like 'You're just my type of girl'. Care to explain that?" he asked, in a pleasant voice, his eyes narrowed.

Jiraiya immediately felt his palms get sweaty. He'd heard that tone of voice before. Usually just before Minato killed someone. "Aahhhh…well, that was just…just a little misunderstanding…"

* * *

Naruto waited impatiently on the edge of the road outside the west gate. He had sped here from the Hokage Tower, only pausing when he had reached the gate itself. The guards on duty had been the same ones from the day before, and one had hailed him.

"Uzumaki-san!"

He hadn't actually been introduced to the two when he had arrived, so he headed over. He thought he should get to know them as they were, after all, fellow Leaf shinobi. He had grinned proudly at the thought.

They had introduced themselves as Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu. They seemed to be in their early twenties. Izumo had shaggy brown hair that fell over his right eye. His hitai ite was attached to a dark blue bandana that covered his head. Kotetsu had dark hair that was spiky like Naruto's, but longer. He had narrow, dark eyes, and one bandage across his nose. They were both dressed like typical Konoha ninja-dark pants and long sleeved shirts and a drab green vest with lots of pockets. A red swirl, like the one on Naruto's jacket but without the leaping flame, adorned the back of their vests and the shoulders of their shirts.

They had explained the protocol for a Leaf ninja leaving or entering the village–use the gate, but check in only if escorting someone not of the village–and congratulated him on being accepted into the Leaf as a chuunin.

"That's our rank!" Kotetsu had exclaimed. "I knew you wouldn't have any trouble, being Jiraiya-sama's student." Izumo had agreed, but he kept watching Naruto with a thoughtful look on his face. Naruto had inwardly sighed. This was what Ero-sennin had meant when he said that thing about 'anyone with half a brain'. Either Kotetsu didn't have half a brain, or he was hiding it better. Naruto had ignored it and asked if they had seen a ninja named Rock Lee.

At the name, both chuunin got funny looks on their faces. "He passed by here about ten minutes ago. Why do you want to know, Naruto-san?" Izumo had said guardedly.

"Hokage-sama said I could train with him this morning, then he would show me around the village," Naruto had replied, somewhat confused at the guards' reaction.

At his words, the funny looks had changed. Now they looked like they were trying hard not to laugh. "Aahh, well, in that case, Naruto-san, you can wait outside the gate there. He'll be back around in about twenty minutes or so."

He had thanked them and walked out to wait in the place Izumo had indicated. The guards waited until they thought he was out of earshot before they burst out laughing. But his hearing was a lot better than any normal human's, so of course, he still heard them. He didn't understand it though. What was so funny about him waiting for this Rock Lee person? He was a fellow nin, right? What did they know that he didn't? His father had set this up, even suggested he train with his guide, so surely...was his father playing a joke on him? Only one way to find out, he supposed.

So he was waiting. It had been about ten minutes, and he was getting impatient. He began to do some of his warm-up stretches and calisthenics. The way Izumo had talked, Lee had already started his work out and Naruto didn't want to be too far behind the other ninja. What had Izumo meant, anyway, 'back around in about twenty minutes'? Naruto pondered it for a while. Maybe Lee was running around the village. In half an hour! He chuckled. Yeah right...

Just then a rhythmic pounding caught his ears. He paused, cocking his head towards the sound. A heartbeat. No, not just a heartbeat. There was more to the sound than that. There were footfalls striking the ground and deep, even breaths being taken in perfect time with the beating heart. Someone was approaching. Approaching pretty fast, too, from the forest behind him. He stepped out into the road a little and faced the direction the person was coming from. Was this Rock Lee? If so, his thought about the ninja running around the village might not be so far off the mark.

"Excuse me," Naruto called, when he thought the unknown person was close enough to hear him, although he couldn't see them through all the trees yet. If it was Lee, Naruto didn't want him to pass by without stopping.

The person didn't slow down, but did alter their course, towards Naruto. Naruto fought the urge to step back. Suddenly, a blur appeared out of the forest and stopped abruptly in front of him. "Did you call me?" the person asked.

Naruto blinked. He had never seen anyone like this ninja before in his life. His first thought was _green_. His second was _bushy_. The ninja seemed to be around Naruto's own age and he was somewhat taller and slimmer than the blonde. He was wearing the most ridiculous, skin-tight, green jumpsuit Naruto had ever seen. He had some sort of light brown, striped legwarmers on his calves that almost covered his blue shinobi sandals and bandages wrapped around his forearms down to his fingers. His hitai ite was tied around his waist. He wore a dark green vest filled with pockets like the other nin. His hair was black and shiny and cut in a bowl-shape. His dark eyes were perfectly round and wide, and the whites seemed impossibly big. He had two absolutely enormous, bushy, black eyebrows. They were currently furrowed a little in confusion.

Naruto realized he was staring. "Gomen, yes I did," he said, bowing slightly. "Are you Rock Lee?"

The ninja in front of him nodded. "Yes, I am Rock Lee!" He struck a pose with one hand stuck out in a thumbs-up sign and a huge smile on his face. His brilliantly white teeth actually sparkled. "Who might you be? I see you are wearing a Leaf hitai ite, but I have never seen you before."

Naruto was staring again. The guards' reactions were starting to make sense to him. "Uhhh…I am Uzumaki Naruto–" he started, but was interrupted by Lee.

"Ah! I know you now! You are the ninja newly accepted into the brotherhood of the Leaf!" Lee exclaimed, an excited look on his face. "Welcome to Konoha, Naruto-san!"

"Thank you, Lee-san…"

"I am to show you our fair Village! But, that was later in the day, was it not?" A look of panic filled the odd ninja's features. "Do not tell me I have misremembered the Hokage's orders and have failed in my mission–"

"No, no," Naruto interrupted. He didn't want Lee to think he had made a mistake. "I'm early. Hokage-sama told me where you'd be. I was hoping to join you for your training this morning. If that's ok with you, of course."

Lee's face broke out in a brilliant smile again. "Yosh!" he exclaimed. "I would be delighted if you would join me!" His smile changed into a smirk. "If you can keep up!" With that, he took off again, following the wall of the village. "Come on, Naruto-san!" he called back.

Naruto looked after him a moment longer and grinned. He liked this bushy-browed ninja. He took off after him.

* * *

They were on their final lap around the village. Lee had apparently already run most of the five laps he did every morning. The green-clad teen kept a steady, ground-eating pace. Naruto didn't find it _hard_ to keep up, exactly. After all, he had more stamina than anyone, according to Jiraiya-sensei. But it wasn't _easy_ either.

Actually, Naruto found it to be kind of…soothing. The pounding of Lee's heart next to him was like the sound of the surf on the sand of the distant ocean. Deep, comforting, eternal. The call of Lee's blood was simple, but steady and strong, a cadence beat out on a drum, the time set by his heartbeat. Combined with the sound of his breaths and the thumping of his footfalls, it was enough to lull Naruto into a sort of trance. His own footfalls naturally fell in time with Lee's and his own heartbeat took up a matching rhythm. There was nothing in the world but the running and the heartbeats.

A voice penetrated his mind. "-uto-san." Pause. "Naruto-san."

Lee was speaking to him.

"Huh? Sorry, I was kind of…off in my own world."

"Do not worry, Naruto-san. I often feel that way when training," Lee replied. "We have one more lap around the village, then I am going to one of the training grounds to practice my taijutsu. Would you like to accompany me?"

"Sounds good, Lee-san," Naruto replied.

"What rank did Yondaime-sama give you?"

"Chuunin."

"That is my rank as well! Well done, Naruto-san!"

"Thank you, Lee-san."

They ran in silence for a few moments, then Lee spoke again. "You look very much like Yondaime-sama," he said.

Naruto was prepared for this; he had already decided what he would say when people brought up that fact. "Yes, I do," he replied. It would be stupid to deny it. "I noticed that when I arrived yesterday."

Silence.

Lee nodded once, briefly, and said nothing more.

* * *

They arrived at the training ground Lee said he liked to use. It was a simple clearing in the trees of the forest set with numerous wooden dummies. One end was clear, for sparring, Naruto guessed. It made a good taijutsu space.

They started with simple exercises using the dummies, each surreptitiously watching the other, then moved on to more complicated forms. Finally, Lee called a halt.

"Naruto-san! I am warmed up now. If you are feeling adequately prepared, would you do me the honor of sparring with me?"

Naruto grinned. "Of course, Lee-san, I thought you'd never ask."

Lee grinned back. "Excellent! Your flames of youth burn bright, Naruto-san! I am most eager to fight you!"

Naruto shook his head slightly. He had only been in Lee's presence for a short time and he already knew the teen liked to spout things about 'flames of youth'. But Naruto didn't mind. It was nice to meet someone who seemed just as enthused about being a ninja as he himself was.

"Lee-san, how old are you?"

"Sixteen. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, is all." Naruto shrugged. "I'm almost sixteen," he offered, in case Lee was curious too. "So, will this be a strict taijutsu fight? Or are we allowing other jutsu too?"

"I will only be using taijutsu. I cannot use nin- or genjutsu. You, however, may use whatever you like," the older boy replied, settling into a stance.

Naruto blinked at him. "Why can't you use nin- or genjutsu?" he asked.

"I cannot use chakra well enough for that. My coils are underdeveloped."

Naruto gaped at him. "Really? You were running that fast without using chakra?"

Lee nodded, seemingly pleased at Naruto's astonishment. "Aa. Although I can use chakra to enhance my speed or walk on water, I was not using it today. My goal in life has always been to prove that I could be a great ninja, even without using chakra."

Naruto didn't reply. The only thing that separated a ninja from a civilian was the ability to use chakra. Basically, Lee was a civilian that had decided to be a ninja anyway. And he had obviously succeeded, even though the odds were stacked against him. Naruto grinned again. He definitely liked this ninja.

"Well," he said, settling into his own stance. "Let's see how you are coming along with that goal, ne?"

The two ninja pushed off the ground at the exact same moment, as if by unspoken command, and attacked each other in a flurry of blows.

Naruto was good. He knew it. He was fast and he had a knack for surprising his opponents by combining moves that weren't normally used together. That meant they couldn't really predict what he was going to do next. He, however, could usually guess their next move. His sharp eyes could pick out their subtle movements before they made the strike.

But Lee was better. He was faster and simply _better_. Naruto supposed it was to be expected if he spent all his time on taijutsu. He knew several styles, so the younger teen had a hard time predicting his next move. All his moves were executed perfectly, efficiently, precisely, so he rarely left an opening to exploit. Naruto hadn't touched him at all, although Lee had landed a few blows on the blonde. The only thing that seemed to be saving Naruto–other than the fact that he could take hits that would fell an ox–was that he was using a style Lee hadn't seen before. However, Lee was already picking up on some of the basic stances and exploiting their weaknesses.

_Damn it_. Naruto'd have to do something quickly if he didn't want to be flattened. Well, Lee had said he could use whatever he wanted, right? Time for some ninjutsu, then. A small voice in the back of his head asked if that wouldn't be taking unfair advantage, but Naruto quickly quashed it. It was insulting to Lee to even think that. Besides, it's not as if enemies in the field would think twice about using ninjutsu against him. Naruto would help him prepare for that in any way he could.

The blonde blocked a kick and used Lee's leg to push off from the ground, springing backwards away from the now-slightly-off balance ninja. He brought his hands up in a simple seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he cried and three clones popped into existence. He thought three might be enough to at least land some hits on his opponent.

The instant their feet touched down, he and his clones raced forward again. They circled Lee and began the attack.

* * *

Naruto growled in frustration. Another set of clones, gone. That damn Konoha Whirlwind move of Lee's was desperately hard to beat. Attacking from the sides was out of the question. He'd tried coming in from the top, to no avail. Really, the only direction he hadn't tried…was...

Argh! He was so stupid! Berating himself, he made another set of clones.

* * *

Lee blocked the clones' attack from the sides simultaneously, while keeping an eye on the one in front of him. He thought the one behind him was Naruto, but he wasn't sure. It could also be another clone, while Naruto was hiding somewhere, plotting something. Lee had learned fairly quickly that Naruto was a very crafty opponent. Not strategic like Shikamaru, who plotted out his moves and his opponent's likely moves for the whole battle, but tricky, always doing the unexpected. It impressed the older ninja.

Lee blocked more hits thrown by the clones. Take his taijutsu style for instance. Lee had never seen it before. It was an interesting style, and suited Naruto perfectly. It was all about power and combo moves. Naruto was strong, and not terribly subtle. He liked to wade right in and start fighting, attacking his opponent head-on. Lee was the same way, so he could respect that. But the myriad ways the blonde had to combine his moves with this style was its real strength. With a crafty mind like Naruto's, he kept Lee guessing at what he was going to do next. Or what his clones would do next.

That also impressed Lee. Just because he couldn't use chakra didn't mean he didn't know anything about it. He had to, to be a ninja, since all his fellow nin, friend and foe alike, could use it. He knew the Kage Bunshin was a forbidden jutsu, mostly because it used so much chakra. Most ninja would run the risk of depleting their chakra to dangerously low levels if they used it, but Naruto was using it over and over without any sign of fatigue. He must have incredible chakra reserves. Lee knew of only two ninja in Konoha that used it at all–Yondaime-sama and Kakashi-sensei.

All four Narutos were attacking him now, at once. It looked like he would have to use the Whirlwind again. He started the attack. He just had time to register the fact that all four Narutos disappeared in a cloud of smoke–_It was a clone! Where is the real one then?–_when the ground beneath his feet trembled slightly. His eyes widened. _Below!_ But he was still twirling. He couldn't get out of the Whirlwind stance in time to block. He tried, but he didn't quite make it. The earth erupted and Naruto sprang out, one hand raised in a fist. He squarely planted it on Lee's jaw, sending the older teen up in the air. Naruto landed lightly on his feet, to the side of the hole he had made, while Lee flipped in midair and landed somewhat farther away. Both teens were panting a little. Naruto was grinning and Lee was rubbing his jaw.

"You pack quite a punch, Naurto-san."

"I have to. When I can only get one hit in, it has to be good."

Lee laughed. "Yosh! You are quite the opponent! I think you were holding back a little, though."

"Thank you. You are also quite the opponent. And you were also holding back. But we have to save some tricks for the next fight, ne?"

The teens smiled at each other.

"That was a most excellent display of youth!" A new voice broke in, deeper than Lee's, but just as enthusiastic. Both teens turned at the sound. A man stood at the edge of the clearing, smiling at them.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee cried. "How long have you been there?"

"About fifteen minutes," Naruto replied. He'd sensed the man crouched in the tree, but was concentrating on his fight, so hadn't said anything.

Lee looked at him. "How did you know he was there?" he asked.

Naruto shrugged. "I have keen senses," was all he said. He studied the man, now that he was in plain sight. He had thought there couldn't be another like Lee in the world, but he was wrong. Gai was dressed pretty much exactly like Lee, or maybe it was the other way around, except for the bandages. They even had the same haircut and the same crazy eyebrows. Gai's face was different; he had dark eyes too, but they weren't the same odd shape, and his nose was more prominent that Lee's. But really, they could be father and son…Naruto narrowed his eyes a little and looked from one to the other. _Hmmmm..._

His reverie was broken by Gai's booming voice.

"Lee-kun, introduce me to your sparring partner!" he called.

"Hai, Gai-sensei!" Lee sprang towards Naruto, grabbed him by the arm, and led him over to where the older ninja stood, smiling at them with the same blinding smile as Lee.

"Gai-sensei, this is Uzumaki Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto, this is Maito Gai, Green Beast of Konoha!" Gai struck the same exact pose Lee had earlier, down to the sparkle of his teeth.

Naruto bowed, trying to suppress his laughter. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Gai-san," he said, proud his voice was–mostly–steady.

"And you as well, young Naruto-kun! Tell me, are you the new ninja Lee-kun is showing the village to?"

"Hai, Gai-san, but I wanted to train a little this morning, and Lee-san generously allowed me to come with him."

"Ah! Your fires of youth burn as brightly as Lee's! That is most gratifying to see in the next generation! How long have you been a ninja of the Leaf?"

"Not even a day Gai-san."

The Green Beast clutched his hands to his chest as tears began to stream down his face. "Not even a fellow shinobi for a day and already eager to test your skills against your peers! And my own student eager to oblige! I am Moved! Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

Naruto glanced at his sparring partner and almost fell over. Lee was mimicking Gai's pose and tears were streaming down his face too. _Really? Are they serious?_

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

Naruto watched in morbid fascination. He wondered how long they would keep this up for. He hoped it wouldn't be too long.

Luckily, it wasn't.

Gai wiped his eyes, smiling and looked at Naruto again. He turned serious. "Naruto-kun, that was a most interesting style of taijutsu," he said. "I have never seen it before."

"Really Gai-sensei?" Lee asked. "But you know more taijutsu than anyone else in the village!"

Ahhh…so Gai was Konoha's Taijutsu specialist. It made sense that he was Lee's teacher. Jiraiya had told Naruto about him, but never his name. He had said the man had forgotten more about taijutsu than Naruto could ever hope to know. He had also said the man was...interesting. Naruto thought that was an understatement. Not that Jiraiya had room to talk.

Gai was laughing. "I do know quite a bit, Lee-kun, but I don't know everything. I am always interested in learning new things. Remember that everyone you meet has the potential to teach you something."

"Hai, Gai-sensei!"

Gai turned back to Naruto. "Where did you learn such a technique, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto answered honestly, but a little hesitantly. "From my mother," he said.

"And where was she from?"

Naruto blinked. What had his father said? "Ummm…the former Whirlpool Country."

Gai looked thoughtful. "I have never been in that part of the world," he mused. "Tell me, do you know of any scrolls containing this taijutsu?"

"No, Gai-san." Demons didn't make scrolls of their fighting techniques. Ever.

"Would you be willing to make one? I'd help you of course."

"Ummm…I'd have to ask the Hokage if that's alright," Naruto said. He wasn't sure if his father would want that or not. He may have already said too much.

"Of course, Naruto-kun. I eagerly await his decision! I have one last question for you. Who taught you Kage Bunshin?"

"Oh, Jiraiya-sensei."

The two green-clad ninja stared at him. Lee broke the silence. "You were taught by one of the Legendary Sannin?"

"Hai. I've been with him for the past seven years. He's the one that brought me to Konoha." It was the truth. It was just misleading. But it was better to make it sound like it had been Jiraiya's idea rather than his own.

Gai was nodding, looking thoughtful. Ugh. Naruto knew he was going to get sick of that look in the next couple days.

"No wonder your flame of youth burns bright!" Lee exclaimed. "Why did he teach it to you?"

"'Cause I'm terrible at regular Bunshin." Naruto laughed at the memory of some of the first clones he had tried to make. "They require very little chakra, relatively speaking, and it's hard for me to manipulate such small amounts. Plus, I have plenty of chakra, so it's not really dangerous for me to use."

"You are indeed a most worthy opponent!" Lee said. "I look forward to our next match!"

"Thanks, Lee-san," Naruto laughed. "Me too."

Gai was smiling broadly at them. "Speaking of that," he turned to Lee. "Is it true that that last punch was the only blow Naruto-kun was able to land?"

"Hai, Gai-sensei!" Lee was looking intently at his teacher.

"Then you did very well, Lee-kun. However, sometimes all it takes is one blow to incapacitate or even kill an opponent. So I want you to think about how Naruto-kun managed to land that blow on you."

"Hai, Gai-sensei!"

"Well then, I must go! Farewell, Lee-kun, Naruto-kun!" And he was gone in a swirl of very _green_ leaves.

Naruto blinked a few times and looked over at Lee. He was frowning slightly, obviously thinking. Probably about what Gai had just told him to think about.

"Oy, Lee-san!" Naruto called.

Lee snapped out of his reverie. "Huh?"

"How about that tour now? I've got to be in the Hokage's office by lunch time."

"Oh, right, Naruto-san!"

Naruto's stomach growled, loudly. He sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Uhhh…maybe we could get some food too?" he asked.

Lee laughed "Of course, Naruto-san!"

* * *

They stopped at a small food stand first. Naruto ordered a huge, but simple bowl of rice, chicken, and vegetables. He turned to Lee.

"What do you want?"

"I am fine, Naruto-san."

"Oh, come on, you must want something. Something to drink?"

Lee eventually gave in to Naruto's urging and ordered a chicken skewer and an iced fruit drink. He reasoned that protein and vitamins were good things to have after a workout.

Naruto also insisted on paying for it. "Call it a thank-you for letting me train with you," he said, pulling out the oddest wallet Lee had ever seen. It was in the shape of a green frog.

"No, it was my pleasure," Lee said. "My fellow chuunin don't often train with me," he added, a little more quietly.

"Well, I can see why!" Naruto chirped. He missed the startled look on Lee's face, and the dejected look that followed it because he was busy paying for their food. He plowed right on. "I mean, I bet none of them come close to you in taijutsu! They probably don't want to be beaten into the ground all the time!" He laughed and turned to Lee, whose face was now sporting a smile. A real smile, not one of those blinding ones.

"Thank you for the food, Naruto-san," was all he said.

They ate quickly, Lee watching in amazement as Naruto proceeded to demolish the substantial amount of food he had ordered in less time than it took Lee to eat his few pieces of chicken. The blonde practically inhaled his meal. He looked up at the dark-haired teen in front of him. "What?"

"Errr…nothing," Lee replied, smiling brightly. Naruto shrugged and continued eating.

Afterwards, Lee showed Naruto Konohagakure. He started by taking Naruto up to the top of the Hokage Monument. Naruto was entranced by the spot on top of the Yondaime's stone head. It had a perfect view of the village. Lee proceeded to point out all the important landmarks in the village, then told him about the tunnels and rooms inside the monument, which were used to house civilians if the village ever came under unexpected attack. Naruto listened very closely to Lee's explanation of the emergency plan the ninja used in such a situation.

They then went back into the village and carefully crossed it from east to west, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Lee pointed out the shopping districts, with special emphasis on the best places for ninja supplies, and the clan compounds, including a brief description of each clan's abilities and the members Lee knew. Naruto had heard of most of the clans from Jiraiya, but was surprised to learn that almost all of them had a representative around his and Lee's own age.

"Are they all chuunins?" he asked.

"Aa, but it is rumored that Neji-kun and Sasuke-kun will be promoted to jonin soon."

They had finished with a very thorough tour of various training grounds, although in the interest of time, Lee had stuck to the main ones. There were still a lot of them. Naruto was most intrigued by #44, the Forest of Death.

"No one is allowed in there without special permission from the Hokage," Lee said. "It is only used for special purposes, like chuunin exams, or jonin tests."

"Why?"

"It is dangerous. There are lots of strange animals, poisonous plants, and that sort of thing."

Naruto grinned. It sounded perfect.

Now, though, it was time to return. The two young ninja took off in the direction of the Hokage Tower.

* * *

Minato rubbed his eyes. His headache hadn't gone away, though he had kept the flashes of Naruto's thoughts at bay most of the morning by concentrating on other things. When he kept his mind occupied, they didn't come as often. And he'd had plenty to keep his mind occupied during his meeting with Jiraiya.

They had talked about Naruto, a lot, including when and how Jiraiya had taught him the Rasengan.

"He was thirteen."

"Thirteen? Really?"

"Yeah, he learned it in two months."

"What?!" It had taken Minato three _years_ to develop that jutsu. And, technically, it still wasn't complete. Granted, it was easier to learn something than to make it up from scratch, but still.

Jiraiya had laughed at the Yondaime's shock. "You'll learn, when Naruto is determined to do something, he does it. No matter how impossible it may seem to be."

Minato had been deeply impressed and very proud.

They had also talked about the information Jiraiya had gathered concerning Orochimaru and the Akatsuki group he had briefly joined. None of it was good. Minato was worried.

Now, Jiraiya had gone to run some errands, leaving the Yondaime to eat with Naruto alone. He was grateful for the chance, but with nothing to distract him while he waited for his son, and paperwork didn't count, his headache was getting worse.

He took a few deep breaths and decided to try a little meditation. Maybe he could get to his mindscape and start building a wall. How exactly he would do that, he had no idea.

He sat in a lotus position on his floor, took a couple more deep breaths, and began. He cleared his mind of all distractions. At least he tried. Usually, when he meditated, it helped to think of a blank void, an empty space he was floating in. Not this time. The second he pictured the blankness, he was assailed by images, thoughts, feelings. They were coming so fast, he couldn't recognize most of what he was seeing. The pain in his head increased. He groaned and snapped his eyes open. Well, that didn't work. He sighed. He didn't want to, but it seemed he'd have to send for the Yamanaka.

He got off the floor, just as a knock sounded. "Yes?" he called.

Hisa stuck her head in the door. "Naruto-kun and Lee-kun are here, Yondaime-sama."

"Good, send them in. And Hisa-san, send for Yamanaka Inoichi. I want to see him after lunch."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

She retreated and Minato leaned against his desk.

The two young ninja entered a moment later and bowed to the Yondaime.

He grinned. Both young men were smiling. So, it had gone well.

"Rock Lee, report," he ordered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hai, Hokage-sama! Do you wish to hear about our training this morning as well?"

"By all means, Lee-kun."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

Minato resisted the urge to laugh as he listened to Lee's description of his training time with Naruto. It was full of the words 'fire' and 'youth'. Still, he was glad his son had impressed the green-clad ninja. He was glad his idea had been a good one, for both Naruto and Lee. Not many shinobi could, or would, keep up with Gai's protege.

Lee finished his report and Minato nodded. "Very good, Lee-kun. Thank you." He turned and riffled through the various papers scattered on his desk. He pulled one out and stamped it, then handed it to the young ninja. "Here is your completed mission receipt." Lee would have shown Naruto around as a favor to the Hokage, but, by making it an official mission, Minato could give the young ninja a little money for his time. Even if it was just D-ranked.

Lee bowed and accepted the receipt. "Arigatou, Hokage-sama!"

"Lee-kun, please return here in an hour. I have another task for you. Bring Gai-san. Dismissed!"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Lee bowed again. "Good bye, Naruto-san!"

The blonde waved and the other young ninja left.

Minato turned to his son. "What do you think of Lee-kun?"

Naruto laughed. "I like him. I'm going to train with him again tomorrow, if that is alright with you, Hokage-sama."

"Of course. I think it's great." He cocked his head at his son. "It sounds like you have made a friend."

Naruto blinked a few times, all traces of his smile gone. "Friend?" he whispered, his eyes wide. It clearly had not occurred to him.

"Naruto," his father said. "I know the feelings this morning, the…pain and loneliness…I know that was yours." Naruto looked down. "I hate the fact that you ever felt that way, and I am more sorry then I can say. I will do everything in my power to make sure you never feel that again. But, I can't do it all. Friends your own age…will help."

Silence. Finally… "Hai, Hokage-sama," Naruto said, softly. He didn't sound convinced.

Minato sighed. It made his chest ache to know his son was almost sixteen and had never had a friend. It hurt worse to know his son didn't think anyone _wanted_ to be his friend. Minato didn't need to hear his thoughts to pick up on that. But the Hokage knew better. He was certain the young ninja of Konoha would accept Naruto. Still, it wouldn't happen overnight. Trust takes a while to build.

"All right, Naruto," he clapped his hands together and his son's head shot up. "It's time for lunch. How about I take you to my favorite place?"

The younger blonde smiled, and it was like he had never been sad at all. "Hai, Hokage-sama!"

* * *

Author's Note:

_Sorry this is so late, everyone. I have a major case of writer's block, so the next couple chapters might be sort of late too. I apologize in advance. _

_The next several chapters are going to be like this one-Naruto meeting his peers, getting in a few fights, forming bonds, etc. A little Naru/Hina fluff will most definitely make it in for all the fluff fans. There won't be any major action for a little while. But hang in there! It's coming, I promise._

_Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy!_


	7. Team Gai

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 7

**_Team Gai_**

Minato led his son over the rooftops of the village. Naruto was silent by his side, head down. It didn't take long to reach the place, and Minato dropped to the street. They stood outside a small ramen shop, with short curtains protecting the entrance and stools sitting in front of the counter.

"Here it is. Ichiraku Ramen, the best ramen in Konoha," the Hokage said. He turned to look at his son. The young blonde had his eyes closed and was inhaling great breaths of air through his nose, a wide smile on his face. "Naruto?"

"It smells amazing, Hokage-sama!" he exclaimed, not opening his eyes.

"It tastes even better. Come on." Minato led the way. Brushing aside the curtains with one hand, he greeted the man behind the counter. "Ohayou, Teuchi-san!"

"Ohayou, Hokage-sama! Two for lunch today?" The older man noticed Naruto entering behind the village leader.

"Yes, please," Minato said, taking a seat. He gestured for Naruto to do the same. "Teuchi-san, this is Uzumaki Naruto. He is a new ninja of the village."

"Ahhh, well, welcome to Konoha, Naruto-san," the older man said, glancing between the two blondes. But he didn't say anything.

"Thank you, Teuchi-san."

"Now, Naruto-kun, get whatever you want. It's my treat."

"Arigatou, Hokage-sama, but…I should warn you I eat a lot, especially ramen. It's my favorite food."

Minato laughed. "Mine too. But don't worry about it. I mean it--it's my treat."

Half an hour later, he was regretting his words.

He was stunned, absolutely stunned, by the amount of food his son could put away. Naruto had taken him at his word and gotten seven--_seven!_--large bowls. And Minato thought _he_ could eat a lot of ramen. He was willing to bet it had to do with Naruto's large chakra reserves--they would require a lot of energy input to maintain. And he ate so fast! It reminded Minato strongly of Kakashi. Teuchi was practically drooling at the thought of the bill. Minato sighed. Jiraiya hadn't warned him about this.

"Is something wrong, Hokage-sama?" the blonde in question asked, slurping a noodle into his mouth. He looked vaguely worried.

"Not at all, Naruto-kun," the older man replied. "I was thinking, since our meal is just about complete, we should talk about what my plans are for you for the next few weeks."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," his son replied. He drank the last of the broth from the bowl he had.

"Arigatou, Teuchi-san," he said. "That was the best ramen I've ever had!"

"Thank you, Naruto-san. I'm glad you liked it. Come back anytime."

"I will!"

"Add it to my tab, please, Teuchi-san," Minato said. "Come on, Naruto-kun."

Once back in his office, Minato waved Naruto towards the chairs. He himself plopped down and rubbed his eyes again. "I spoke with Jiraiya-sensei this morning at length about your training. I know you have exceptional skills, but there are a few things I still want to test you on. One is your kenjutsu. I have an opponent in mind, but he is out of the village right now. When he returns in a week, I want to see what you can do against him. I'm sure you'll find it to be an...interesting match.

"Genjutsu is another area I want you tested in, but again that'll have to wait, as our Genjutsu Masters are also out of the village.

"Now, I understand from Sensei that you have not been in a situation to work with others much. Konoha missions often rely on three- or four-man teams, and teamwork is an important part of what makes us strong. Therefore, I want you to work with some of the chuunin teams for the next few weeks, to improve your teamwork skills. This way, you will also get to know your peers. The first team I want you to work with is Team Gai--Lee-kun's team. Since you already know him, I thought that would be the best place to start." He grinned a little. "Also, they are the only complete team in Konoha right now."

Naruto was smiling broadly. "Hai, Hokage-sama." He liked the sound of working with others. It was something he had never gotten a chance to do.

"After the few weeks are up, I'll decide where to put you. You may be in a team of your own, or you may work with the various teams as needed. We'll see. Lee-kun and Gai-san will be coming to get you shortly, so you can meet the others and do some training. You will be with them each afternoon this week. The mornings are yours to do whatever you want. After your training with Team Gai this afternoon, I want you to return here and we'll get some dinner. Got that?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"Good. Any questions?"

"Uhhh…not about your orders, no. I do have two other questions though."

"What are they?"

"Gai-san asked if I would make a scroll of my taijutsu style, with his help. He'd never seen it before. I said I'd have to ask you."

"Really? I didn't recognize it, but I'm no expert. And Gai didn't know it?"

"No, Hokage-sama, but I'm not surprised." He paused. "Okaa-sama taught me."

Minato nodded. "I see. Well, do you think there would be any harm in committing it to a scroll?"

Naruto shook his head. "I don't think so. It's unlikely anyone would know where the style came from. Generally, humans who see that taijutsu in use don't live long enough to talk about it."

Minato stared at his son, then decided not to think about the statement he just made. "Alright then, you have my permission."

"Also, I told Gai-san I learned it from my mother, and that she was from Whirlpool Country."

"Hmmm, yes, we are going to have to come up with some sort of story for you. I'll think about that. Until we have it, try to avoid talking about your past. What is your other question?"

"Can I have permission to use the Forest of Death?"

Minato blinked. "What for?"

"Training."

"Naruto, those grounds are used for very specific purposes, not just general training."

"This would not be general training, Hokage-sama. For my kekkei genkai."

Well, that was most definitely a very specific purpose. "Well…"

Naruto stood and bowed. "Please, Hokage-sama? I have to train with it, just like any other ninja. And those grounds would be perfect--no one goes there without your consent, so I wouldn't run the risk of being discovered, like I would anywhere else."

It did sound pretty ideal, when he put it like that. But still… "It's a dangerous place, Naruto." He waved his son back down.

Naruto snorted as he sat again. "I can take care of myself, Hokage-sama. Besides, if anything attacks me, I can use it for practice!" He actually sounded excited about the prospect.

Minato shook his head. "Can you use your power without…losing control?"

Naruto nodded. "The simple things I can do with no problem. The more complicated ones, or the ones that use a lot of chakra…I can't do those yet without my appearance changing. That's one of the reasons I need to train."

"I'm not worried about your appearance, as no one will see you. I'm worried about that…feeling."

"It's 'youki', Hokage-sama," Naruto said quietly. "But Jiraiya-sensei calls it my 'killer intent'." He shook his head a little. "Anyway, I won't leak it unintentionally unless I'm using really powerful techniques. And even then, I can keep it to a small area. No one outside the Forest will know."

Minato nodded. "Well, I'll think about it, ok?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Anything else?"

"No, Hokage-sama."

"Ok, well, now we just need to wait for Lee-kun and Gai-san."

They didn't have too long to wait. The Hokage made small talk with his son and just a little while later, they heard a knock on the door. "Come in," Minato called.

The two Green Beasts of Konoha entered and bowed to the Hokage.

"Lee-kun, Gai-san, thank you for coming," Minato said, rising from his chair. Naruto did the same.

"But of course, Hokage-sama!" Gai said. "Lee-kun said you wished to see us!"

"Yes. Because Naruto is new to Konoha, I want him to practice working with his peers. He will begin with your team. He will train with you every afternoon this week. I want you to pay particular attention to his taijutsu, Gai-san." Minato held up his hands, forestalling the question the green-clad ninja was obviously about to ask. "And it's fine with me if you make a scroll of it."

"Thank you Hokage-sama! I am most eager to begin!" Gai exclaimed, pressing his fist into his chest.

Lee was smiling at Naruto. "Naruto-san, I am most excited you will be training with us this week!"

"Me too, Lee-san," Naruto said, grinning back.

Silence descended. Gai was looking from Naruto to the Hokage with a puzzled look.

"You look very much like Hokage-sama, Naruto-kun," he said at last.

Minato sighed. They'd have to come up with that story, soon. He was about to answer when his son cut him off.

"Yes, I do," the younger blonde said smoothly. "But then again, Lee-san looks very much like you, Gai-san."

Silence again. Gai and Lee were looking at Naruto with surprise. Minato was trying hard not to laugh. Even though Naruto kept a pleasantly neutral expression on his face, the Yondaime could feel his son's amusement. He was teasing the two green-clad ninja.

"Well…I think it's the jumpsuit," Gai finally muttered, not at all his usually enthusiastic self.

Minato laughed then, he just couldn't help it. "You'd better get going, you three. Dismissed!"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" the three ninja chorused, bowed, and left.

Minato settled again behind his desk and a few minutes later, another knock sounded. "Come in," he said.

Yamanaka Inoichi entered the room. "You sent for me, Hokage-sama?"

"Ah, Inoichi-san. Good. I have a problem that you might be able to help me with…"

* * *

Naruto was bounding through the trees on his way back to the Hokage Tower. His time with Team Gai was over for the afternoon and he was going to meet his father. The sun had disappeared behind the trees in the western sky.

He had enjoyed the afternoon, for the most part. Gai-sensei had introduced him as a new ninja of Konoha and had talked at length about the importance of teamwork. Lee's two other teammates had seemed bored--Naruto supposed they had heard it all before--but Lee hung on every word the older ninja said, even going so far as to write some things down in a little black notebook. Naruto had half listened while studying the two he had just met.

The kunoichi, Tenten, was somewhat shorter than Naruto with brown eyes and brown hair that was done up in two buns on top of her head. Her hitai ite was proudly displayed on her forehead. She wore a white, 3/4 sleeve, traditional-style top, maroon capri pants that gathered tightly at mid-calf, and slippers. He strongly suspected she used chakra to keep the slippers on during combat, like Jiraiya-sensei did with his own ridiculously impractical geta, but when he asked her, she just laughed and gave him a playful shove. He didn't know what that meant, so he'd just smiled back. She was a weapons expert, and, as Naruto learned over the course of the afternoon, she was very fond of pointy projectiles. He also learned she had excellent aim. She was nice to him and friendly to Lee, although she got exasperated if he talked about 'flames of youth' too much. He liked her.

The other one, Hyuuga Neji, he didn't like at all. He was around Naruto's height and had long, dark brown hair he kept pulled back in a loose ponytail and the odd white eyes of his clan. He wore a simple, loose, white shirt and pants, a brown wrap, and dark shinobi sandals. He was apparently some sort of prodigy. The best to wield the Byakugan, the doujutsu that was the Hyuuga kekkei genkai, in years, as Tenten proudly told him. And Neji knew it. Unfortunately, Naruto had to admit he was a really good ninja. He could see why Neji might make jonin soon.

He was an excellent fighter, and, as their leader during the team exercises, he showed his talent for keeping cool, reading the situation, thinking things through, and utilizing each person's individual skills to complete the tasks. That coolness was at the root of Naruto's dislike, however. It wasn't that Neji kept a level head during combat. That was an important thing for a ninja to do. It was that he was cool all the time. No, not cool…downright cold. He never smiled. He barely acknowledged Tenten's presence and he obviously held Lee in utter contempt. Naruto wasn't sure what the Hyuuga thought about him yet, but he couldn't imagine it was good. Neji didn't seem to like anybody.

Other than the brown-haired Hyuuga, Naruto really enjoyed the team training. He was used to doing things on his own, or, at most, having one other person as simple back-up. Now, he had two or three other people to work with. It was harder in that he had to be aware of where each person was and what they were doing. But it was much easier to actually get the task done when multiple people worked at it.

At the end of training, they had said their goodbyes and Gai had extracted a promise from Naruto to start work on the scroll the following afternoon, if the Hokage had no other tasks for him.

He reached the Hokage Tower and entered. The guards didn't say anything, so his father must have told them he was coming. Hisa merely smiled at him and waved him through. He entered his father's office and bowed. "Good evening, Hokage-sama."

"Hello, Naruto," the Hokage said, leaning back from his desk and rubbing his eyes. "How was training?"

"Fine, Hokage-sama."

"How do you like Lee-kun's teammates?"

Naruto smiled. "Tenten-san is really nice. She offered to practice kenjutsu with me this week. I can't afford to get rusty."

"And Neji-kun?"

Naruto's smile instantly inverted to a frown. "He's a jerk." He paused. "But he _is_ a good ninja," he admitted grudgingly.

Minato chuckled at his son's obvious reluctance to acknowledge the Hyuuga. "Why is he a jerk?"

Naruto thought for a minute. "I don't like the way he treats his teammates," he said slowly. "Especially Lee-san."

Minato hummed in response. He knew all about Neji's attitude and the reasons behind it. He had tried talking to the boy about it, but he was just as cold to the Hokage as he was to everyone else. Minato understood. After all, he was the one that had the ultimate responsibility for the way things had happened. Hiashi had tried to talk to the boy too, but apparently it hadn't done any good. Afterwards, when Minato had inquired about it, the Hyuuga clan head insisted it was an 'internal clan affair'. Meaning Minato should butt out and mind his own business. Since it wasn't directly affecting Neji's ability as a ninja, the Yondaime really couldn't do much else. It frustrated him to no end, like so many things about the Hyuuga did.

"Well, it can't be helped at the moment," the older blonde said. "Let's get some dinner, hmmm? How does BBQ sound?"

"Hai!" Naruto said enthusiastically.

Minato hoped his son didn't eat as much BBQ as he ate ramen. His wallet wouldn't be able to handle it.

* * *

The week passed quickly. Naruto trained with Lee and sometimes Tenten in the mornings, then with Team Gai in the afternoons. He worked on making the scroll with Gai after that. It was an interesting process.

Gai had shown up to their first session with a large, blank scroll, several pots of ink and a few brushes.

"I am most excited to begin, Naruto-kun!" he exclaimed. "Please remove your clothes!"

Naruto started a little. "What?" Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't this.

Gai turned to him, confused. "Do you not know how a taijutsu scroll is made?"

Naruto shook his head.

Gai's face lit up in understanding. "Ahhh, well, in order to transfer the forms to the scroll, a number of seals must be placed on the major joints of the body. I have to paint the seals on your skin, so you need to remove your outer clothing." He smiled broadly.

"Uhhhh, ok," Naruto said, still not too sure about the whole process. He was glad the others had gone home. He wasn't a very modest person, but it still felt a little awkward.

He stripped down to his boxers. Gai even made him take his hitai ite off. Then the green-clad ninja started painting seals on him. On the top of his feet and the back of his hands. On his ankles, knees, hips, wrists, elbows, and shoulder blades. One on his stomach, two on his chest, and one on his forehead. Naruto hoped this new seal didn't do anything strange to the one already there, but nothing seemed to happen when Gai applied it, so he tried not to worry about it. And the Hokage was a Seal Master, so if he thought something strange might happen, he never would have given his permission, right?

When Gai was finished, he told Naruto to stand still so the ink could dry. He busied himself by painting a very elaborate seal at the beginning of the scroll. When he was done, he looked at the blonde in front of him.

"What is the name of this style, Naruto-kun?" he asked, brush poised over the paper, ready to write.

Naruto blinked. "I don't know, Gai-sensei. If it has a name, I was never told it."

Gai looked surprised. "That is most unusual! If it has no name, then we can make one up. But, we'll leave that for later." He smiled. "I think you are dry now, Naruto-kun. Once I activate this seal, all your movements will transfer to the scroll. So don't do anything except for the taijutsu, understood?" Naruto nodded. "Excellent! We will start with the basic forms today. Ready?" Naruto nodded again. "Excellent!" The older ninja began making hand seals. He muttered something under his breath and slammed his hand down on the center of the seal on the scroll. It glowed bright green for a moment and Naruto could feel the seals on his own body tingle a little. Then it faded.

"Ok, Naruto-kun, please begin."

Naruto dropped into the root stance. He watched, fascinated, as a perfect line drawing of himself in the stance appeared on the paper. Gai's voice broke through his thoughts. "What is the name of the stance, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto told him, and Gai wrote it down on the paper. He made some notes below the name and unrolled the scroll a little further. "Next!" he called.

And so it went. By the end of the week, they were about halfway through the stances. Gai had been giving Naruto pointers to improve his taijutsu, and most of these pointers he also wrote in the scroll. Sometimes he had a lot to say, so Naruto found himself standing in one position for quite a while. It wasn't so bad, except usually his nose would start to itch. It was damnably frustrating that he couldn't just scratch it. He'd forgotten a couple of times, or the sensation had become too much, and he _had_ scratched it. At which point a perfect drawing of himself scratching his nose would show up on the scroll. "Naruto-kun!" Gai would scold. And Naruto would apologize while the older man would do something to erase the image. But Naruto would take the man's disapproval over an itchy nose any day. It's not like Gai was _really_ angry with him anyways.

For lunch he usually ate with Lee and sometimes Tenten joined them. Dinner he always had with the Hokage, although after the first day they ate in Naruto's room in the Tower or at the Hokage's residence. Minato had explained that being seen together so much in the village would be suspicious. He looked sad when he said it, but Naruto understood. He looked forward to spending time with his father, no matter where it was. He enjoyed hearing about the Hokage's day and telling the older man about his own. Jiraiya was gone, doing something for the Hokage, so it was just the two blondes. Naruto missed the Toad Sage, but couldn't help but feel glad that he had his father all to himself.

Minato's work with the Yamanaka seemed to be helping. His headaches had gone away, and the random images were coming less frequently. He told Naruto he hoped to start working with his son on communicating specific information soon. He also wanted to test out some of the other connections they had. Naruto couldn't wait.

* * *

It was at one of their dinners that Minato asked his son about Neji again. They were seated in Naruto's room in the Hokage Tower, eating sushi, Minato's special treat to celebrate Naruto's first week. "Has he grown on you at all?"

Naruto made a disparaging sound in his throat. "No. He's more of a jerk than before." The younger blonde paused. "He thinks I'm annoying." _And stupid._ He didn't say that, though. It was by no means the worst thing others had thought of him, but Naruto still considered it an unfair assessment.

"Annoying? Really?" Minato asked. He was not surprised his son's liveliness and energy would grate on the more sedate Hyuuga.

"Yeah. That's not really it, though," Naruto replied. "It's fine if he doesn't like me. But he doesn't seem to like _anybody_. Not even his own family."

Minato cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Hinata-san came by practice today. She said her father had asked her to fetch Neji-san for something. She called him 'Neji-nii-san', which confused me at first, until Tenten-chan explained she was really his cousin. But obviously she thinks of him like a brother. And she was really nice and polite and everything. And he was so cold to her! He didn't even smile or thank her or anything! He barely said two words to her! I don't understand it at all. I thought he'd at least be nice to his _family_."

Minato understood Naruto's frustration. He had been alone much of his life. He hadn't _had_ friends or family--at least, not the normal sort. So he couldn't understand why someone who was lucky enough to have those precious people would be mean to them.

The Yondaime sighed. "Well, the Hyuuga clan has their problems like any other family."

"But Hinata-san was being nice! So why be mean to her?"

Minato give his son a serious look. "It's a complicated situation, Naruto. Try not to judge Neji-kun too harshly."

His son grumbled something under his breath, which the Hokage thought sounded like 'not that complicated to me', but when he raised his voice he just said, "Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Why are you so quick to defend Hinata-san anyway? Do you like her?" he teased the young blonde.

Naruto's eyebrows rose in surprise and he blinked a few times. "Like her?" he said. He hadn't actually thought much about her, he was so vexed at Neji's treatment of her. "I-I don't know, Hokage-sama. I don't really know her."

"Well, that will change. You are going to be with her team this next week. Team Kurenai. It is comprised of Hinata-san, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and his ninja dog, Akamaru. Their jonin sensei is Yuuhi Kurenai, one of our Genjutsu Masters. They are a tracking team, so you should fit in quite well."

"Ninja dog? This team has a ninja dog?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, why?"

Naruto looked uncomfortable. "Animals have better senses than people," he said quietly. "They are often…uneasy around me."

"Do you think Kiba-kun, or Akamaru-kun, will know what you are?" the Hokage asked seriously.

"No. The dog will be afraid of me, but he won't know why. I'm sure Kiba-san will pick up on that fear."

"Well, then, I'm not worried," Minato said with a reassuring smile. "They might be afraid of you at first, but once they get to know you, they'll see there is nothing to fear."

Naruto looked back at his father, a tentative smile on his face. He didn't have the Hokage's confidence, but it couldn't be helped. His father said he would train with Team Kurenai, and so he would.

"What about Shino-kun?" the Hokage asked. "The Aburame clan uses insects. You aren't worried about them?"

Naruto shook his head. "Insects don't feel fear," he said. "They don't mind me."

"Good." Minato paused. "The swordsman I told you about is returning the day after tomorrow. We'll have the test sometime after that, probably in the morning. I'll let you know after I talk to him."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Naruto said, excited. He was eager to see who this swordsman was and how his skills matched up.

"Also, Jiraiya-sensei is returning tomorrow. After your time with Team Kurenai, I want you to meet us at Training Ground 10. I'll let Gai-san know you won't be meeting him as usual, so don't worry about that. Understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Naruto was really excited now.

Minato smiled fondly at his son as the young blonde went back to eating. He himself had finished twenty minutes ago. He sipped his cooling tea and leaned back against the couch, enjoying the moment. He hadn't felt so content in a long, long while.

Naruto popped the last piece of sushi--unagi, Minato idly noticed--in his mouth and tilted his head, watching the Hokage. "What?" Minato asked, amused.

Naruto swallowed hastily and dropped his gaze. "Nothing, Hokage-sama," he mumbled, taking a gulp of his own tea.

Minato gave a mental sigh. "Tell me." He had learned fairly quickly that Naruto considered it extremely disrespectful to ask him personal questions. In fact, the young blonde hardly asked him any questions at all, even when he was obviously curious about something. A command was the only way to get him to do it. Minato supposed he could read Naruto's mind to find out what he was thinking, but doing such a thing uninvited horrified him, and he didn't think his control was good enough yet anyway.

"I just...I was just wondering what you were thinking," Naruto said quietly, head still down. Even though Minato assured his son that he _wanted_ him to ask questions, Naruto still acted like he was doing something wrong.

Minato smiled slightly. "You want to know what I'm thinking?" He extended his hand across the low table. "Here." His control wasn't good enough to go dipping into Naruto's mind, but he thought it was good enough for this. Minato had avoided touching Naruto since the first day as he hadn't wanted to experience another deluge of thoughts and memories. The stream he was getting without physical contact was more than enough for him to handle. But the stream had since slowed to a trickle, and damn it, he wanted to hug his son again!

Naruto looked up, wide eyes surprised. Then he smiled and grabbed his father's hand. As expected, images and feelings flashed though Minato's head, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as before. He took a few breaths and concentrated on blocking those out, like shutting floodgates in his mind. A few things still leaked through, but it was a vast improvement. Then, he willed Naruto to feel what he was feeling, like opening a different set of floodgates just a bit. Just enough for the boy seated in front of him to experience his happiness, his utter content. Just enough so Naruto would know _he _was the reason for those emotions.

His son's smile widened and he blinked suspiciously shiny eyes, but he didn't say anything. Minato smiled back, but broke the contact. "That's what I'm thinking," he said. A dull ache was starting behind his eyes; obviously he couldn't maintain the connection for very long yet.

"Arigatou, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied, looking down.

Minato drank the last of his tea and stood, stretching. Dishes and empty food containers littered the table. Dribbles of soy sauce and bits of rice were scattered around, mostly on Naruto's side. "Well, it's getting late..." he said as he began stacking plates. A gasp stopped him and he glanced at his son. Naruto was looking at him with a horrified expression on his face.

"I'll do that, Hokage-sama!" he exclaimed as he hurriedly leapt to his feet and tugged the dishes away from Minato.

The Yondaime shook his head bemusedly. "Thank you, Naruto."

It had become a nightly ritual. Naruto refused to allow his father to help clean up after their shared meals, even in Minato's own house. The Hokage had exasperatedly told Naruto that he was his son, not his servant, to which Naruto had replied that yes, actually, he _was_ the Hokage's servant, as he didn't see any difference between the two. Minato realized he should have expected such a response, so he sat Naruto down and patiently explained that children and servants were _not _the same. Naruto had nodded his head and said "Hai, Hokage-sama," then went right back to clearing the table and washing the dishes. Minato had resorted to ordering Naruto to sit still while he cleaned up, but the obviously pained look on Naruto's face had caused him to cave. After that, he at least tried to lend a hand, but accepted that Naruto wanted to do it all himself. And he never failed to thank his son.

"Are you heading to bed?" Minato asked as the younger blonde finished rinsing and stacking the dishes by the small sink.

"Actually, I'm going to do some training," his son replied.

Minato blinked. "More training?"

"Yeah, there's this one formation I'm having real trouble with, so I need to practice."

"How are you going to do team training by yourself?"

Naruto grinned. "That's what shadow clones are for!"

Minato laughed as a thought struck him. It wasn't _that_ late after all, and he didn't relish the idea of returning to his dark and empty house just yet. "Would you like some help?"

Naruto blinked at him. "You mean, you'll come train with me?"

Minato nodded.

"You don't have to do that," Naruto said. "I'm sure you have other things to do." But everything from his tone to his body posture belied his eagerness to have the Hokage train with him.

Minato sighed. "There are other things I _could _do, but nothing else I _want_ to do. I'm coming with you."

Naruto smiled brilliantly. "Hai, Hokage-sama!" He rushed into his room and rummaged around for something while Minato moved to the door and slipped on his sandals. Naruto joined him a minute later, now wearing his jacket. He put on his own sandals. Minato smiled and ruffled his hair, and they headed out.


	8. Team Kurenai

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 8

**_Team Kurenai_**

Naruto was waiting at the training grounds for Team Kurenai. He had left lunch with Lee a little early, so he would be on time, and he was the first one there. He was nervous and excited about meeting new people, especially the ninja dog. He hoped it would turn out alright.

He sniffed the air again and swiveled his head around from left to right. He'd been doing so every few seconds for the past five minutes, trying to sense their approach against the dull roar of heartbeats that was the village itself. This time, he felt something. Two distinct heartbeats were approaching from behind him. He sniffed again. Human females. So, Kurenai-sensei and Hinata-san. Another heartbeat caught his attention, this one from his left and a little further away. Just one, so it was probably Shino-san. He turned around. The two women were almost in the clearing.

They appeared from the branches, dropping to the ground in front of him. He bowed. "Greetings, Kurenai-sensei," he said to the obviously older woman. "I am Uzumaki Naruto. I believe Hokage-sama informed you of my presence here?"

She nodded. "Greetings, Naruto-san," she said. "I am glad to meet you and eager to help you integrate into Konoha's forces." She smiled, softening her formal words somewhat.

"Arigatou, Kurenai-sensei," he replied. He smiled back, taking a quick moment to study her. She had shoulder-length brown hair and, surprisingly, red eyes. He had never seen a person with red eyes before, besides himself, and he was intrigued. She was taller than him and slim. She wore an outfit that seemed to consist of white bandages, short red leggings, and a red, one-sleeved shirt.

He turned to the other woman, standing next to and a little behind Kurenai. "Hi, Hinata-san!" he greeted enthusiastically.

"H-hello, N-Naruto-s-san," she stuttered. She was looking at the ground, her pale eyes almost hidden behind her bangs, a few strands of her long, shiny, blue-black hair falling forward over her shoulder. Her hands were clasped behind her back. She wore dark capri pants much like Tenten's. She also wore a lavender and white jacket with a hood. It was zipped almost all the way up, but Naruto could see a mesh shirt underneath it. Her hitai ite was tied around her neck.

He frowned a little. Why wouldn't she look him in the face? They had met yesterday when she'd come for Neji. Maybe she was just shy. If that was the case, then he would do what he could to ease her nervousness. Unfortunately, he hadn't had any experience with that and didn't really know how to do it. Well, he'd think of something. Now, though, he had to greet the third team member to arrive.

He turned to his right. A figure dropped down from the trees and began approaching them. He was tall, like Lee, although the blonde couldn't really pick out any other features. His eyes were covered with dark sunglasses. His hair was covered by the hood of his gray-green jacket and most of the rest of his face was covered by the tall collar of his black shirt. He had on dark pants and shinobi sandals. His hitai ite rested just above the sunglasses. Naruto surreptitiously sniffed the air. The boy's scent was dry and sharp, like dust on a hot day. He smelled like bugs. His heartbeat sounded like it was echoing in an empty room, and it wasn't just blood that Naruto could hear moving around in his body. This was definitely Shino.

The blonde bowed again as Kurenai introduced him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shino-san," he said.

"Likewise, Naruto-san," the insect-user said. His voice was low, almost hoarse, and almost totally monotone. Naruto hoped he wouldn't get on this guy's nerves too, like he did with Neji.

Kurenai sighed. "Now we are just waiting for our last member, Naruto-san," she said.

He nodded. He could feel two heartbeats approaching fast. They wouldn't have long to wait.

A few minutes later, the last two dropped into the clearing. A boy with wild brown hair sat astride a large brown-and-white dog. His dark eyes were silted and his canines were really more like fangs. Naruto ran his tongue self-consciously over his own sharper-than-normal canine teeth. His weren't that obvious, most of the time. The teen also had two red triangles on his cheeks. He wore a black double-breasted jacket over a mesh shirt and black pants. His hitai ite was tied around his forehead. He slid off his dog partner as Kurenai called out to him.

"You're late Kiba!" she scolded.

"Sorry, Sensei," he called back, looking abashed. He walked over to where the group was standing, Akamaru trailing behind him. "Who's this?" he asked, looking at Naruto with a critical eye and sniffing the air. His eyes narrowed a little and he took a longer sniff. It was the sort of thing a dominant male dog would do to a subordinate in his pack, and Naruto suppressed the growl that rose in his throat. All his instincts were screaming at him to teach this skinny puppy a lesson, but he ignored them. It wouldn't do to get into a fight right away. Besides, Kiba-san _was_ the dominant one in this situation, even though Naruto hated to admit it. He comforted himself with the thought that that could change over the course of the week.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Kurenai explained. "He is a new ninja and Hokage-sama wants him to train with us." Naruto bowed.

Kiba nodded and gave a slight bow back. "Cool. Welcome to Konoha," he said.

"Thanks, Kiba-san," Naruto replied with a small grin.

"This is Akamaru," the brown-haired ninja said, gesturing behind him. "Come say hello, Akamaru!"

The ninja dog only whined a little and butted his nose into Kiba's back. His tail was placed firmly between his legs.

"Akamaru?" Kiba questioned.

Naruto sighed. "It's ok, Kiba-san," he said. "Dogs don't always like me." He leaned around Kiba a little. "It's nice to meet you, Akamaru-san. I hope we can be friends," he said quietly. Akamaru only pushed his head farther into Kiba's back, hiding his eyes from Naruto. The blonde sighed again and shifted back into his original position.

Kiba turned around, a puzzled look on his face. He scratched Akamaru's ears and murmured something to the dog. "I don't know what's gotten into him," he said.

Kurenai was watching with eyes narrowed. "Kiba, Akamaru, is this going to be a problem? Naruto-san is training with us the whole week."

Kiba shook his head. "No, it'll be fine."

"Ok, then, we'll get started."

* * *

They began by simply getting to know each other better. Kurenai made them each introduce themselves again along with stating some things about themselves. Likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams. That sort of thing. She was most intrigued by Naruto's answers.

"Hi! My name is Uzumaki Naurto! I like training, ramen, tea ceremonies, frogs, Jiraiya-sensei, and Hokage-sama. I don't like people being mean to others for no reason, and raccoons. My hobbies are training, and…uhhh..." he trailed off. "Well, I don't really have any other hobbies I guess. But I really like plants, so I'd like to start a garden now that I'm not moving around all the time." He grinned, kind of sheepishly Kurenai thought, and rubbed the back of his head, but he continued. "As for my dreams, I have fulfilled my biggest one by becoming a ninja of Konoha, so now I just want to do my best to serve Hokage-sama."

Kurenai found herself smiling at his words. _Gardens and tea ceremonies? Not what I would expect from such an energetic person._ "I myself like plants, Naruto-san," she said. "If you like, I'll help you with your garden."

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Kurenai-sensei!"

"Why don't you like raccoons?" Kiba asked.

"Oh, well, I had a bad experience with one when I was young," Naruto replied, grinning. But his eyes were wary.

"Really? What happened?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes a little and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I _had a bad experience_." He clearly wasn't going to say anything else about it.

Kiba snickered, but didn't inquire further.

"Y-You were tr-trained by J-Jiraiya-sama?" Hinata stuttered. Kurenai noticed she didn't look up at the blonde while she spoke, and played nervously with her fingers.

Naruto nodded. "Yep."

Kurenai was impressed, although she hid it better than her students did.

After the introductions they started on some simple exercises that displayed each individuals' abilities. Kiba was, of course, more than happy to show off his clan's jutsus and tracking ability to the new ninja. That is, until Naruto proved to have just as good a nose as the Inuzuka. After that, Kiba was much less enthusiastic and kept shooting dark glares at the blonde.

They quickly moved along to Hinata's Byakugan, which Naruto was duly impressed by. In fact, he praised her so loudly and for so long, Kurenai had to stop him with a hand on his shoulder. "I think she gets the point, Naruto-san," she said, barely able to hold back a laugh. Hinata's face was bright red and Kiba looked like he wanted to murder the new ninja. None of which Naruto seemed to notice.

Shino had then revealed his Kikaichuu. Many people were uneasy around the Aburame because of their insects and the odd symbiotic relationship they had, but Naruto wasn't uncomfortable at all. He went right up to Shino as he released the insects from his sleeve, peering at the stream of beetles with wide eyes. "Awesome!" he said, obviously fascinated.

After training, Naruto left rather quickly, saying he had to meet the Hokage. When she was satisfied he was really gone, Kurenai turned towards her team. They were standing, chatting with each other, no doubt about the new young ninja.

She had a pretty good idea of their first impressions already. Shino was curious about the blonde and Hinata...she shook her head slightly. Hinata had it bad.

But it was Kiba she wanted to speak to. "Kiba!" she called. He looked up and she waved him over.

"What is it, Sensei?" he asked when he reached her.

"I want to know what you think of Naruto-san. You and Akamaru have been acting strangely all afternoon."

Kiba looked away, uncomfortable. "I don't know, Sensei," he said.

"Well, why don't you start with Akamaru?" she suggested. "Why wouldn't he greet Naruto-san?"

Kiba reached out a hand to scratch his dog's ears. "He's afraid," he said quietly. "Something about Naruto-san terrifies him." He looked back at Kurenai. "But I don't know what! He just says he's different."

"Different? How?"

"I don't know!" Kiba repeated. "I don't think Akamaru really knows either."

"Well, what about you? Are you afraid?"

"No!" Kiba almost shouted. Kurenai inwardly sighed. Even if he was, the Inuzuka would never admit it. "But if Akamaru feels that way, there must be something wrong with him," he added more quietly. "He seems like an ok guy, but his scent..." he trailed off.

"What about his scent?" Kurenai prompted.

Kiba sighed. "There's something about it that gives me the creeps. He smells like fresh air and sunshine and…well…ramen..." he shook his head. "But there's more to it. Underneath those scents, I caught a whiff of blood and smoke and some sort of animal. I don't know exactly what. It's kind of like a dog, but different. It's weird."

Kurenai sighed. So Akamaru was afraid and Kiba was uneasy. It was not a good combination. Kiba wouldn't be able to handle the feelings and would lash out at what was causing them. Add to that his natural desire to test his dominance with new people, and Kurenai was sure he would pick a fight with Naruto before the week was out.

* * *

Naruto arrived at Training Ground 10 to find his father and Jiraiya already there. He dropped to the ground and bowed. "Forgive me, Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sensei. I hope you have not been waiting long."

"Not at all," the Hokage said, waving off the apology. "The reason we are here is to test your ability to use the Rasengan."

Naruto's face lit up. "Hai, Hokage-sama!"

Jiraiya chuckled at his younger student's enthusiasm. "Show him what you got, brat," he said. Naruto nodded, and the Toad Sage made his way to the trees to once again perch on a branch and watch his students.

For the next hour the Yondaime drilled his son. He had him make different sizes and strengths of the whirling chakra balls. There was a limit to how small his son could make them, and his control only allowed for a few different strengths. Still, Minato was very impressed.

Especially by the Odama Rasengan Jiraiya had helped Naruto create. It was gigantic. Minato doubted he could make one that size, although he was certainly going to try when he had some free time. Naruto needed a clone to help him make it, but he had assured the Hokage that he was working on forming one himself. Jiraiya had already explained that when Naruto was first learning the jutsu, he had a lot of trouble with the final step--controlling the chakra ball. Not surprising since chakra control was difficult for Naruto to begin with and his boundless energy made it hard for him to concentrate on one thing for very long. Finally, he had hit upon the idea of using a clone to help him. It was a brilliant idea and had succeeded spectacularly. Now, his control was to the point that he didn't need a clone to form a regular Rasengan anymore. The young ninja was sure it was only a matter of time until he didn't need one to form the Odama Rasengan either.

Minato smiled to himself. His son was certainly full of surprises. "Ok, Naruto, I want to do one final thing, then we'll head in."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

The Yondaime backed away a few paces and told Naruto to do the same. They were facing each other, about twenty feet apart. The ground around them was littered with Rasengan-created holes. The Hokage stuck out his right hand and a yellow ball of chakra started forming. He grinned at his son.

It took the younger blonde a second, but then his face split in an identical grin. He stuck out his own right hand and an orange ball of chakra whirled into being. They stood for a few moments, grinning at each other, and then both leapt towards the other. They met right in the middle.

"Rasengan!" two voices cried out as they pressed their hands forward. The two chakra balls met.

And exploded.

Minato was thrown back, but he managed to twist in the air and land on his feet. A huge cloud of dust obscured his vision. He ran through a few hand seals and called up a wind to blow it away.

He blinked when he saw the field. There was a giant crater, right where he and his son had been standing. Naruto was just picking himself up off the ground on the other side of it. Minato was worried for one split second about his son, but realized pretty quickly he didn't need to be. Naruto was laughing. He waved at the Hokage and started to make his way around the crater. Minato went to meet him.

His son was grinning like a madman. "That was totally awesome, oto-" he started to crow, his fist pumping in the air, but stopped and looked down quickly. "Hokage-sama," he finished, looking back up. "Wasn't it?" The grin was back in place, but it wasn't quite as big as before.

"Yes, it was. I feel sorry for whoever has to clean this place up." Minato grinned back. He knew what word Naruto had been about to use and his own heart had skipped a beat at the sound of it.

Naruto laughed. "Yeah."

Minato leaned forward, so he was right next to Naruto's ear. "I am so proud of you, musuko," he whispered. "You are an amazing ninja. And I would be honored if you wanted to call me 'Father' when we're alone." He really wished his son could call him father anytime he felt like it, but that was too dangerous. At least for now.

Naruto sucked in a breath, but didn't say anything. Minato pulled back and smiled at the expression on his son's face. He was smiling, that true, radiant smile that seemed brighter than the sun. His eyes were swimming with tears, but he didn't let any of them fall. "Hai, otou-sama," he breathed.

Minato thought his heart might burst. He had always wanted to be called that. But Jiraiya was coming towards them, so all he said was, "How about ramen for dinner, hmmm?"

* * *

Kurenai got her first real shock the next day during team practice. The Yondaime had wanted her to evaluate Naruto's genjutsu abilities. She'd started with his ability to cast genjutsu and found he really had none, which wasn't so surprising. Genjutsu required good chakra control, and that was something the Hokage said Naruto had trouble with. She could understand that, considering how much chakra the boy had. She thought there was more to it, though. He just seemed so…open. Honest. Genuine. Genjutsus were illusions, lies. She didn't think Naruto really had it in him to twist reality like that. But, that was alright. Plenty of ninja couldn't cast genjutsu. The important thing was to be able to recognize and dispel them. Which Naruto also had trouble with, but not for the reasons she would have supposed. He had trouble dispelling them because he had trouble recognizing them, and he had trouble recognizing them because they didn't work on him.

She discovered this during a team exercise. She hid a small chest in the grounds and the group had to find it. Missions for her team often involved finding lost people or objects, so it was good practice. This time, she cast an illusion on the area to make it appear as though the chest was in a different spot.

She expected Kiba to fall for it and probably Naruto, but the blonde had surprised her.

"No, Kiba-san, it's over there," the new ninja said, pointing towards the spot where the chest truly lay hidden.

The Inuzuka scoffed. "No, it's not, it's over there," he replied, pointing towards the illusionary chest.

Naruto shook his head. "No, it isn't. Can't you smell Kurenai-sensei's trail?"

Kiba snarled. He didn't care for the implication that his nose wasn't working. "I can smell it perfectly well and it goes this way. Akamaru says the same thing," he hissed.

Naruto growled a little himself, in frustration, Kurenai thought. "_No_," the blonde's voice was getting louder. "It goes _this_ way!"

"No, it doesn't!"

"Yes, it does!"

Kurenai smirked a little from her perch in the tree. This was quickly devolving into a shouting match between the two. But if Naruto knew the actual location of the chest, why didn't he just explain it was a genjutsu, or try to release it?

The arguing teens were interrupted by the arrival of their other two teammates.

"Naruto-san, Kiba," Shino said. "Arguing in this fashion is not a wise course of action."

Kiba scowled and Naruto huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I know that!" he said, voice quiet again. He pointed at Kiba. "He's the one that wants to go in the wrong direction. Kurenai-sensei's trail goes this way!"

"No, it goes this way!" Kiba interjected.

Shino lifted his arms, forestalling another argument and releasing his kikaichuu. The other two teens shut up and watched as the swarm of beetles dispersed. After a few moments, the Aburame gave a little nod. "It's a genjutsu," he said. "The target is indeed in the direction Naruto-san indicated."

Naruto grinned and Kiba fumed.

Hinata placed her hand lightly on Kiba's shoulder. "Kai!" she murmured.

He blinked a few times, then sniffed. "Damn it," he growled. He turned on Naruto. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I did!"

"No, about the genjutsu."

"Oh," the blonde shrugged. "I didn't know there was one."

Kurenai blinked. _Interesting_...

After they had retrieved the chest and returned to the starting point, Kurenai questioned the blonde. "Naruto-kun, you said you didn't know there was a genjutsu?"

"Hai, Kurenai-sensei."

"Then how did you know where the chest was?"

He tilted his head, confused. "I could smell your trail."

She sighed. He didn't seem to understand what she was getting at. "Yes, but that genjutsu hid my real trail and laid a false one in the opposite direction. That's why Kiba wanted to go the other way. My question is why didn't it work on you?"

"Oh." He thought for a minute. "I don't know, Kurenai-sensei."

"I'm going to see if other genjutsus will work, alright? Just stand there and tell me if you see anything."

The blonde nodded.

She started with a low-level illusion, something simple and non-threatening. No response. She tried increasingly complex genjutsu and nothing worked. Naruto just looked at her.

Finally she sighed. "Ok, I'm going to try some high-level illusions," she said. "These are offensive genjutsu--ones I'd use in actual battle. As such, they will be...threatening. I didn't intend to use these on you, but since nothing else is working… Just remember you're not actually in danger, ok?"

Naruto nodded. "Sure thing, Kurenai-sensei."

She started with her trademark--giant plants enveloping the person and swallowing them whole. Naruto looked around him, brow furrowed a little. Kurenai released the illusion.

"Did you see something?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Kind of. It was like the air was rippling."

The air was rippling? One of her best illusions and all he saw was the _air rippling_? She was getting a little annoyed. It was silly, she knew; it was a good thing if Naruto wasn't susceptible to genjutsu. But it was her specialty and she took pride in being known as a Genjutsu Master of Konoha. It was a title she had worked hard to earn and it felt as if this teen was mocking her a bit.

She shoved those feelings away. They were unfair to Naruto, and to herself. She readied another attempt. "Alright Naruto, one last try." It was her strongest illusion. He said he liked Jiraiya, right? She almost wished he wouldn't see this one. It was going to be harsh.

She cast it and watched for his reaction closely. This time, she got one. His eyes widened and he drew in a sharp breath. He looked surprised, but not upset or afraid. He must be seeing _something_ but she kept quiet to see what else he'd do. He glanced around until his eyes came to settle on a point on the ground about three feet in front of him. The blonde walked forward a little and knelt down at the spot, his hand out to touch empty air. Then he pressed down, until his hand was touching the ground. He lifted his hand and stared at the fingers, rubbing his thumb across the tips. He took a sniff, then he licked his index finger. A wide grin broke out on his face. He looked right up at Kurenai. "Wow, Kurenai-sensei! This one is really good!"

She blinked. It wasn't quite the reaction she had been expecting.

Naruto brought his left hand up in front of him in a simple seal. "Kai," he muttered. Kurenai could actually feel a puff of hot air from the blonde as he dispelled the illusion. She was certain he _had_ dispelled it, even though someone at his level shouldn't be able to. She shook her head slightly as he rose to his feet, still grinning at her. This ninja was certainly full of surprises.

"What did you see that time?" she asked.

"Jiraiya-sensei, dead, covered in blood. A lot of other people dead too, but I didn't recognize them." He said it matter-of-factly, like it hadn't affected him at all. Then again, he _had_ known going in it was just an illusion. "It was strange though, I could see them all, but I could see the grass through them too. And I could still see you, although you were kind of faded out."

Kurenai stared at the young blonde for a minute, thinking. It sounded like he'd been half in and half out of the genjutsu, seeing it, but also seeing the real world. It was the oddest thing she had ever heard of. She'd have to do some research to see if this sort of thing had been documented before. "What were you doing when you knelt?" she asked.

"Oh, I was seeing if I could feel Jiraiya-sensei's body, which I could, but I could also put my hand though it," Naruto replied. "It was weird."

"And after that?"

He cocked his head to one side. "After that?"

"You were rubbing your fingers. Then you licked one."

"Oh," he grinned again, but the wary look was back in his eyes. He scratched the back of his head. "I was just testing the blood. It was almost like the real stuff, but not quite."

"You tasted the blood?" Kiba asked, sounding pretty disgusted.

Naruto turned his head towards the trio sitting under a tree on the sidelines. His expression didn't change, but Kurenai didn't miss the way his shoulders tensed. "Come on, Kiba-san. Don't be so squeamish. I knew it was an illusion."

"I'm not squeamish," Kiba muttered, seeming to drop the subject.

"You said the blood was not quite like the 'real stuff'," Shino spoke up. "That means you must have tasted real blood before."

This time Naruto's whole body tensed and Kurenai swore she saw a look of panic flash in his eyes before it was gone. But his grin never faltered.

"Well, sure I have," the blonde drawled. "Haven't you? We're ninja after all. I don't know how many times I've tasted blood after a good hit from Jiraiya-sensei."

"Th-that's t-true," Hinata spoke up, her eyes down and a blush on her cheeks. "We've a-all g-gotten hits l-like that before."

Naruto's eyes flicked to the dark-haired girl and his grin widened a little. Not that Hinata could see it as her gaze was still firmly planted on the ground. Shino just nodded and Kiba was still muttering under his breath about being squeamish.

Kurenai's eyes were on Naruto. His explanation was perfectly reasonable and logical. So why get so nervous about it? It was something she'd have to think about later.

"Well, Naruto-kun," she began, causing the blonde to face her again. "We know only high-level genjutsus work on you, but we still don't know why." She paused. "I'd like Hinata to take a look at your chakra network, if that's ok with you."

He blinked and seemed to be considering. "Okay," he said slowly, hesitantly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine, Kurenai-sensei," Naruto replied, smiling.

The jonin gestured for Hinata to come over. When she was in position, facing Naruto, Kurenai said, "Whenever you're ready, Hinata. Just tell me if you see anything unusual."

The dark-haired girl nodded and activated her doujutsu. Naruto stood, looking at her nervously.

The Hyuuga examined the blonde's chakra coils. "Naruto-san has quite a lot of chakra. He's very bright," Hinata said distractedly. Silence. "Oh!" she exclaimed softly. Then, "Oh." More silence. "T-Thank you, N-Naruto-san. I'm finished," she said, the veins around her eyes disappearing.

The blonde sighed and relaxed a little.

Kurenai spoke. "Well?"

"N-Naruto-san has very…unusual chakra," Hinata began, looking at her teacher. "And not just because h-he has so much of it. It's...bubbly."

Kurenai blinked at her. "Bubbly?"

"Y-Yes," she replied. "I-I could actually see bubbles in it. They are constantly moving, popping, and forming. It makes h-his chakra very...volatile."

Kurenai blinked again. "Well, that explains it," she said. "Genjutsus are broken by disrupting the chakra flow. Naruto, your chakra flow is constantly being disrupted by those bubbles, all the time. So a genjutsu can't even take hold unless it's high level, and even then it's incomplete." She thought for a moment. "I wonder if the Sharingan would work?" she mused to herself. "Maybe I can get Kakashi to try it out on you, although Itachi-san is better at illusions."

"Sharingan?" Naruto asked, sounding nervous.

Kurenai chuckled. "The Uchiha doujutsu. It can cast powerful illusions. Don't worry, I'll have to talk to the Yondaime first."

Naruto nodded but didn't look any less nervous.

"I wonder how far around you the disruption extends," she mused. She smirked a little. "Hinata, go stand by Naruto-kun."

The black-haired kunoichi, who had been watching her, blushed again and dropped her eyes to the ground. "O-Ok, Sensei," she said quietly. She made her way over to the blonde and stood about five feet away from him. Kurenai snickered to herself.

"That's good to start, Hinata," she said. "I'm going to cast a simple illusion, and you tell me if you see it, ok?" The dark-haired kunoichi nodded.

Kurenai cast a genjutsu that turned the grass blue. Hinata nodded. "I see it, Sensei,"she said.

"Ok, Hinata, take a step closer to Naruto-kun."

The girl did as she asked, fingers fidgeting furiously. Kurenai inwardly smirked. Oh, she was going to have fun with this.

Step by step, the Hyuuga heiress made her way closer to Naruto. By the time she was standing next to him, their shoulders almost touching, her cheeks were the darkest shade of red Kurenai had ever seen on a human being. She was worried the girl might pass out. But she still saw the genjutsu.

"Hmmm...so it only really works for Naruto," she mumbled to herself. "Ok, Naruto-kun," she called. "I want you to try touching Hinata. Don't gather any chakra or try to dispel anything, just touch her."

"Ok, Kurenai-sensei!" Hinata's eyes widened, but before she could say or do anything, Naruto had made his move. Because they were so close, and it was awkward to do anything else, he grabbed her hand in his.

Hinata squeaked, the red in her face turing almost purple. She swayed on her feet. "Hinata-san?" Naruto asked, concerned. The poor girl tried to stammer out something, but it was lost as her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted. "Hinata-san!" Naruto caught her before she fell and gently laid her on the ground. He looked over at Kurenai with wide eyes. "Kurenai-sensei! What happened?" he sounded a little panicked.

Shino and Kiba were on their feet, rushing to their teammate's side. Well, Kiba rushed. Shino sort of...flowed. But it was rushing for an Aburame. Kiba pushed Naruto out of the way, and the new ninja let himself be shoved back so Kiba could take his place at Hinata's side. He called her name a few times while Shino knelt down opposite him. One small insect flew out and landed on Hinata's forehead. Naruto hovered behind Kiba, anxiously watching Hinata's face.

Kurenai made her way over more slowly. Boys. It was sweet how concerned they all were, but they were so clueless. She wasn't worried about Hinata--she had only fainted because Naruto touched her. The jonin was certain Hinata had a crush on him. She'd wake up in a minute or two.

She told the three males so, and sure enough, Hinata groaned a little and sat up a few moments later.

"G-Gomen, everyone," she mumbled. "I'm fine, I just got a little...overheated."

Kiba snickered and she shot him a look. Naruto looked relieved and he grinned. "It's ok, Hinata-san," he said.

"Kurenai-sensei," the dark-haired kunoichi continued. "Ummm…it worked. When N-Naruto-san t-touched me, the genjutsu broke."

Kurenai nodded. "Interesting. Well, I want to explore this ability a little more, but for now, I think we should take a five minute break."

* * *

After Kurenai dismissed them for the day, Shino approached Naruto.

"Naruto-san," he began. "I have a request."

"Yes, Shino-san? What is it?" Naruto was curious. What could the insect-user want from him?

"My kikaichuu are…confused about you. They want to…get to know you better." Shino's normally emotionless voice seemed faintly embarrassed. "I am sorry if this seems too forward. I understand if you don't want to comply."

Naruto grinned. "It's ok, Shino-san. But what are they confused about? And how exactly will they 'get to know me better'?"

"They…find your chakra to be…unusual. Perhaps because of the bubbles. They want to…feel it more closely. You just have to stand there, Naruto-san. They will only land on you."

Naruto pondered the request. Like Akamaru, he didn't think the insects would be able to tell exactly _why_ his chakra felt different to them. It was highly unlikely that they had encountered a demon before, since the Kyuubi container didn't seem to use its chakra much. Refusing might be seen as suspicious, like he had something to hide. Besides, he _wanted_ to comply. He always tried to do what others asked of him. Especially when that 'other' was a newly-acquired comrade.

He was meeting Gai this afternoon...but Gai wouldn't be mad if he was a few minutes late. Especially if he told the older man it was because he was helping a fellow Leaf nin. Gai would spout something about 'flames of youth' and maybe cry a little. No, Gai wouldn't care at all.

He grinned. "They will only land on me?" he repeated. Shino nodded. "Then that's fine, Shino-san. I just stand here, right?" Shino nodded again. "Ok then."

Shino raised his arms and two dark clouds issued from inside his sleeves. The clouds swarmed around Naruto, making swirling patterns in the air. He lifted his own arms out to his sides. As if it was a cue, the insects started to land on him. Soon his whole body was covered, except his face, but there were more flying in the air, waiting their turn he supposed.

He laughed. He liked insects. They didn't shy away from him, like most animals did. The feel of their tiny feet on his skin tickled. It was a pleasant sensation.

Naruto cautiously brought his hand near his face, to get a better look at the little beetles. They were really quite pretty when you looked at them. Some would take off, their curiosity apparently satisfied, only to be replaced by others that hadn't had a chance yet.

Eventually, though, all the kikaichuu returned to their host. Naruto felt almost sad. But he smiled. "All done?"

Shino nodded.

"Well, what do they…think?" He wasn't sure if that was the right way to put it, but he didn't know how else to ask for the insects' opinion.

Shino was silent for a moment. "They still don't…understand why your chakra is different. But they are content with that. They accept the fact that it simply is unusual." He bowed to Naruto. "Thank you, Naruto-san, for allowing them the opportunity."

Naruto grinned. "No problem, Shino-san. I like insects. They are welcome to land on me any time."

Shino was silent again. Naruto thought he might be surprised, but it was so hard to tell with the Aburame. He turned to go. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow Shino-san!" he called over his shoulder.

Shino merely inclined his head and watched the blonde leave the clearing.

* * *

Author's Note

_Thanks to everyone for your patience while I work through my writer's block._

_Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed and/or added me/my story to their alerts/favorites. It really does mean a lot._


	9. Kakashi and Kiba

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 9

**_Kakashi and Kiba_**

Hatake Kakashi knocked once on the Hokage's office door and waited for a response. It came immediately and he entered the room. The Yondaime was sitting behind his desk, writing something on a scroll. He looked up with a grin on his face for his favorite–and only living–student.

The silver-haired man bowed to his sensei. "Hokage-sama."

"Kakashi! Welcome back!" the blonde greeted, leaning back in his chair. "I trust the mission went well?"

The tall man nodded, his one visible eye half closed in its usual lazy expression, his shoulders slightly slumped, and his hands stuck in his pockets. "Nothing untoward happened. I'll have the report to you in the morning." He reached into a pocket of his vest and handed the Hokage a scroll. "From the client," he explained.

The Yondaime broke the seal and began reading the contents of the scroll. It was a long-winded and terribly pompous message extolling Kakashi's work. He skimmed quickly to the end, then looked up at his student. "Well, you certainly impressed him. He has nothing but the highest praise for you." Suddenly, the blonde grinned wickedly. "Would you like me to read you some of this?"

Kakashi repressed a shudder at the thought of what the client–a rather flamboyant Fire Country noble–might possibly say about him. "No, thanks, sensei," he said, trying to sound bored instead of embarrassed and succeeding admirably.

Minato laughed and tossed the scroll aside, then began rooting around for the mission receipt. Kakashi took the opportunity to study the man behind the desk. There was something…different about his teacher and Kakashi was having trouble putting his finger on it.

After a minute, the Hokage found the paper he was looking for, stamped it, and handed it to the Copy Ninja. "Good work, Kakashi," he said seriously. "I'm certain he will request our services again."

Kakashi nodded as he accepted the paper and stuck it in a pocket.

"Now," the Yondaime said, grinning again, dismissing talk of the mission with a flick of his fingers. "I have something more important to discuss with you." Kakashi cocked his one visible eyebrow at his sensei. "Jiraiya-sensei is here."

Kakashi's eye crinkled up–the only indication of the genuine smile hidden beneath his mask. He didn't do it often, but he was glad that the Toad Sage was in town. He enjoyed the Sannin's company and the three of them usually had dinner together at least once when he visited. Not to mention the fact that Kakashi was an avid fan of Jiraiya's novels. The big man had given him an autographed set once, and sometimes he even let Kakashi read some of his rough drafts.

Besides, Kakashi knew that as happy as he was to see the Toad Sage, Minato was happier. The Hokage was open and friendly by nature. His people had no trouble feeling connected to him or coming to him with their problems. It was the way he wanted to rule his village, and it worked very well. Despite that, the Copy Ninja knew his sensei was lonely. Because the only people _he_ felt connected to, felt could help with _his_ problems were Jiraiya and Kakashi. They were closer to him than anyone else. However, Jiraiya was gone from Konoha most of the time. Kakashi himself was busy with missions and, starting four years ago, his own students. He made as much time as he could for his sensei, but it wasn't really enough.

The blonde's voice broke into his thoughts. "He didn't come alone."

Kakashi cocked his eyebrow again. "Eh?"

"You remember the message he sent? About the student he had taken on?"

Kakashi nodded, understanding. "He brought him here?" Minato nodded, and Kakashi continued. "Is he as good as Jiraiya-sama made him out to be?" It was unlikely the Toad Sage had exaggerated, but Kakashi was curious.

Minato's smile deepened and he seemed…proud? "Better. I accepted him as a chuunin."

Kakashi's eyebrow rose in surprise. Normally an outside ninja requesting to join the village had to be nominated by a jonin and go through a probationary period before being accepted as a full-fledged citizen. Given that it was Jiraiya who was nominating the boy, Kakashi had been sure he'd be accepted...eventually. To forego the probationary period was unusual. Jiraiya _had_ known this new ninja for three years, though. He supposed if the big man trusted him, Minato could too.

"What was his test?" the silver-haired ninja asked.

"He had to get a bell from me," the Hokage replied, and paused, watching Kakashi's face. "And he did."

Kakashi's eyebrow rose higher, the only indication of his growing surprise. The format of the test wasn't unusual, but it was for the Hokage to participate in it himself. The fact that the boy had _succeeded_ was astonishing. Even if his sensei had been using half his strength, it was quite a feat.

"I'd like you to meet him," the Yondaime continued, the broad smile never leaving his face, though it was joined by a mischievous spark in his eye.

Kakashi caught the expression and started to feel a little nervous, but he only lowered his eyebrow to its normal position and said, "Hai." He _did_ want to meet this ninja that could get a bell from the Yondaime Hokage.

Minato stood suddenly and clapped his hands together. "Well, no time like the present, hmmm? Unless you have something else to do?"

He looked at Kakashi, all innocence, but the jonin knew better. The glint in his sensei's eyes had never left and that expression only meant one thing. But it couldn't be helped, so he just shrugged. "Sure, sensei," he drawled.

Minato grinned again, almost evilly. "Very good!" he said and leapt up to the open windowsill behind him. "He should be training with Lee-kun right now. Come on!" And with that, he was gone.

Kakashi just stared at the empty window for a moment. A slight breeze tickled his cheek. Training with Lee? This couldn't be good. He sighed and followed his sensei.

* * *

They moved easily over the rooftops, Kakashi staying just a little behind and to the right of the Yondaime. As they traveled, the Copy Ninja took the time to review his sensei's behavior. It was odd. There was the difference he had noticed earlier that he still couldn't quite pin down. And now his eagerness to have Kakashi meet Jiraiya's student. As a fellow Leaf shinobi, Kakashi would meet the person eventually, but that apparently wasn't soon enough for Minato's liking. That grin on his face and the glint in his eye meant he had a surprise in store for Kakashi, and it had something to do with the new nin. Minato was always trying to crack Kakashi's indifferent façade, which usually took the form of surprising or embarrassing him. That's what the Hokage had been doing when he had offered to read the scroll to the silver-haired man earlier. It was a game they had played since Kakashi was a gennin.

All elite shinobi that Kakashi had ever met had some sort of personality quirk, or habit, or hobby that helped them deal with the hard life they led. It was mentally and physically taxing for a human to suppress emotions, make difficult decisions, kill, and face the prospect of being killed on a daily basis. Ways of dealing with the pressure ran the gamut from relatively harmless to downright scary. Kurenai tended an assortment of plants. Asuma smoked too much and played Shogi obsessively. Kakashi himself hid behind masks, both physical and metaphorical, and read too much porn. Tsunade of the Sannin drank herself into a stupor and gambled all her money away. Anko ate dango and tortured people. Gai...well, Gai was Gai.

All in all, Kakashi thought Minato's quirks were pretty benign. He had what Kakashi considered an unhealthy appetite for ramen and he needled his student mercilessly. Actually, none of his ninja were safe from his teasing, but Kakashi bore the brunt of it. The Copy Ninja didn't mind–if that was what his sensei, the man he admired and respected above all others, needed to do to deal with the burdens of a shinobi life, then that was fine.

He was actually surprised that Minato's quirks weren't more extreme. Kages were the strongest ninjas in their villages and made the toughest decisions. Therefore, their burdens were greatest. And Kakashi knew Minato had made some difficult decisions in his time. He was nearing 40, and the years were taking their toll. He was still as strong as he had ever been physically, but mentally the stress was starting to show. It was subtle, but Kakashi saw it. How each death Minato felt he caused, directly or indirectly, friend or foe, laid its weight on his shoulders. How, over time, those shoulders seemed a little more stooped, how his smile was a little less happy, how his eyes were a little more shadowed. Kakashi didn't like to see it, but there was nothing he could do. It was the life they had all chosen to lead.

He glanced over at the Hokage on his left without turning his head. And it struck him, all of a sudden, what the difference was he had sensed in the man. His sensei was _lighter_. As if the burdens Kakashi had just been mulling over weren't there anymore, or were drastically reduced.

The Copy Ninja narrowed his eye, carefully studying the Yondaime like he should have right away in his office. His coat was streaming behind him as he ran with an undeniable spring in his step that hadn't been there before. His eyes were fixed on the rooftops ahead, but they didn't have the dark shadows in them anymore. The mischievous smile hadn't left his face, but now there was a softer edge to it. The Hokage was happy. Not just gleeful at the prospect of discomfiting his student, but deeply and truly _happy_. Kakashi almost stumbled at the realization. He hadn't known his sensei to be happy like that in a long time. Sixteen years in fact.

"Something wrong, Kakashi?" the blonde asked, not stopping or turning his head.

Kakashi cursed to himself. Of course the Yondaime would notice his small break in stride. He probably noticed the way Kakashi was looking at him too, as subtle as he had been. Minato wasn't the Hokage for nothing.

A new and terrible thought struck him. What if this _wasn't_ the Hokage? Could it be a very clever impostor? He didn't think so–it would be nearly impossible to kidnap a Kage from his own village and leave an impostor in his place with no one noticing–but Kakashi was known for being paranoid. It had saved his life, and those of his comrades, on numerous occasions. If that were the case, as remote a possibility as it seemed, he couldn't let the man next to him know what he was thinking.

"No," he replied evenly, still running, while also examining the Hokage's chakra signature. It seemed to be the one he knew so well, that of Namikaze Minato, but it was possible to mimic chakra signatures with a clever genjutsu. He'd need the Sharingan to be sure.

Still running alongside the man, he slowly opened his left eye, the one he kept covered by his hitai ite. It would be better to uncover it, but that would instantly alert the person next to him that he was suspicious, and the Sharingan could see through the headband well enough for his purposes. He quickly scanned the man running next to him.

Nothing. No genjutsu and no trace of a henge or any other ninjutsu that could be used to mimic another person. Simply the familiar chakra of his sensei. He closed the eye and gave an inaudible sigh of relief. He was just being paranoid. Still, the Yondaime was different and Kakashi wasn't sure why. Jiraiya being in town didn't seem to be unusual enough to cause such a change. Maybe it had to do with the new ninja? But what could he possibly have to do with it?

He stopped suddenly, as he realized the Hokage was no longer next to him. He looked back. Minato was standing on a roof about two buildings behind him. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes were narrowed at Kakashi. The silver-haired ninja smiled sheepishly under his mask and took two leaps to land in front of the older blonde.

"Something _is_ wrong, Kakashi," the Yondaime said sternly. "Why were you using the Sharingan on me?"

Kakashi gulped. His sensei had felt that? Damn. Well, at least it was more proof he was really the Hokage. Kakashi was pretty sure only a Kage-level ninja could sense the subtle chakra spike when he used the eye.

"Maa, sensei," he began, assuming his usual lazy demeanor once more. "You are different." He shrugged. "I had to make sure it was really you."

Minato blinked at him, looking surprised. "I'm different?" he asked, moving his hands to rest on his hips. "How?"

Kakashi shrugged again. "You are…lighter. Happier."

The Hokage smiled at that, a true smile, and Kakashi found himself smiling back. "Well, I am happier," the blonde said. Then he frowned. "But I didn't want it to be so obvious."

Kakashi shook his head. "It's not. But I know you very well."

His sensei laughed. "Yes, you do. And you wanted to make sure I wasn't an impostor." He clapped his student on his shoulder. "Just what I would expect from you."

Kakashi inclined his head a little. "Thank you, Hokage-sama," he said, secretly happy with the praise. He was a jonin, one of the most elite of the ninja of Konoha, and his sensei could still make him feel like a fresh gennin, eager to please his leader.

Minato smiled and dropped his hand. "Come on, we're almost there."

Kakashi turned to follow again. They were indeed almost to the trees that marked the start of the training grounds. "Does the new ninja have anything to do with your new attitude?"

Minato stopped and turned his head to look over his shoulder. The smile on his face was so soft, so gentle, Kakashi felt his breath catch a little in his throat. He'd never seen an expression like _that_ on his sensei's face. "He has everything to do with it," the blonde replied. Then the spark appeared in his blue eyes once again and the smile was gone, replaced by a grin Kakashi had seen plenty of times. "But you'll see." And he took off over the rooftops towards the trees.

Kakashi stared at the retreating figure for a moment. What the hell had _that_ been about? He shrugged. Well, nothing to do but follow and find out.

* * *

They reached a clearing in the trees a few minutes later. Minato halted on a large branch with a good view of the open space before them and dropped into a crouch. Kakashi landed on the branch beside him and also crouched down. He quickly scanned the area. Two ninja were sparring in the clearing; one was definitely Lee and the other he didn't recognize. Must be the new ninja. As curious as he was about him, he turned his attention first to the surrounding forest. After a moment he gave a mental sigh of relief. No sign of Lee's sensei, Maito Gai.

Gai was a comrade, even a friend. They had saved each others' lives on multiple occasions before. But Kakashi didn't think he could handle his so-called 'eternal rival' at the moment. Their rivalry was another game that kept them both sane and occupied in their down time. As indifferent as he appeared to be about the whole thing, he actually rather enjoyed their little competitions. Not that he would ever tell Gai that. But then, he didn't really need to.

For all that, it took a certain mindset to deal with the Green Beast and he just didn't have it right now. The Hokage had rattled him with his behavior and Kakashi knew it was only going to get worse. He was desperately curious about the new ninja and how he could have affected his sensei so much.

He looked at Minato out of the corner of his eye. That soft smile was back, directed at the two ninja sparring below, so Kakashi turned his attention back to the clearing.

Lee was facing himself and the Hokage, which meant the new ninja had his back to them. The first thing that caught Kakashi's attention was the chakra. He'd rarely felt such a strong signature before. The second thing he noticed was the hair. It was bright yellow, almost gold in color and stuck up in crazy spikes everywhere. It looked exactly like Minato's hair, if a little shorter. Kakashi narrowed his eye. That was unusual. He'd never seen anyone else with hair like his sensei's.

The new ninja was wearing a black headband, his hitai ite Kakashi assumed, knotted at the back of his head with the ends trailing past his shoulders. He was somewhat shorter than Lee, and he was dressed in a black outfit with three orange stripes running down the right sleeve. A plain black sheath was strapped to his back. He was wielding the black-handled katana that went in it with precision and grace. He was obviously skilled with the blade.

Lee had metal guards on his arms, hands, and shins. He was blocking the sword's movements with these, although he seemed to be moving more slowly than usual. So, this was a lesson in fighting kenjutsu for the taijutsu user.

Suddenly, the katana-wielding ninja jumped back. "Very good, Bushy Brows!" he called, sheathing his sword. Kakashi snorted and he heard a low chuckle from the man next to him. Bushy Brows? Well, it certainly fit Lee. "You're getting the timing down really good. Next time we'll work on upping the speed." The new ninja's voice was baritone, with a gravelly edge to it.

Lee was smiling. "Thank you, Naruto-kun! But why are we stopping early?"

The new ninja, Naruto apparently, pointed behind him. "Because Hokage-sama is here with a guest." Kakashi could almost hear the grin in the young man's voice. He himself was surprised the ninja detected them. Neither of the teens had given any indication they knew they were being watched and the blonde one hadn't turned around at all. But he obviously _did_ know they were there. And who they were. Or at least, he knew the Hokage.

Kakashi looked at Minato again. The man was still smiling, but this was a proud smile. He was proud Naruto knew they were there. Why?

And that was another thing. Lee had called the new ninja 'Naruto'. The significance of that name was not lost on Kakashi. He opened his mouth to ask about it, but Minato cut him off.

"Don't fall off the branch, ok?" Minato grinned at Kakashi, that glint in his eyes.

Kakashi thought he was being overly dramatic. He might be surprised by whatever it was Minato knew and he didn't, but he wouldn't _fall off_ the branch. What sort of ninja did the Hokage think he was? He snorted softly and looked back towards the pair in the clearing.

And almost fell off the branch.

The new ninja had turned around.

Luckily, Minato had quick reflexes. He darted out a hand too fast to see and grabbed Kakashi's shoulder. "Told you," he said, laughing.

Kakashi barely heard him. He was too busy staring. His eye was wide and he'd gone rigid with shock.

Naruto could be a clone of his sensei. There were a few differences of course, those markings on his cheeks being the most obvious one, but otherwise, they looked just alike. He uncovered the Sharingan, but nothing about the young ninja changed. Bright blue eyes were still fixed on their position and a grin identical to Minato's still split his face. And everything clicked.

Kakashi drew in a huge breath. It didn't seem possible, but, well, there was the proof in front of him. This explained Minato's behavior, at least. Yes, this explained it very well.

Minato had always wanted a family of his own. Though Kakashi knew the Hokage considered him and Jiraiya to be family, it wasn't quite the same. His sensei had hoped to achieve his dream with Kushina years ago, but then she had disappeared. Minato had never been the same. That had really been when his sadness had started to creep in.

But now…now, Minato had a piece of that dream, and it banished the sadness. Because Kakashi had no doubt at all he was looking at his sensei's son. Or at least, a person who his sensei _thought_ was his son. He narrowed his eyes a little and replaced his hitai ite over the Sharingan. He really wanted to meet this boy.

As if reading his mind, Minato said, "Let's go say hello." He had a satisfied smirk on his face.

Kakashi inwardly sighed. Minato had gotten him good this time. He jumped to the ground with the Hokage and they made their way over to the teens, who bowed in greeting.

"Lee-kun," the Yondaime said, "I hate to interrupt your training, but I have some things to discuss with Naruto-kun and Kakashi."

"Of course, Hokage-sama!" the green ninja replied. He turned to Naruto. "I will meet you for lunch, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto looked at the Hokage, who gave a little nod. Naruto turned back to Lee and grinned. "Sure thing, Bushy Brows!" he said.

Lee smiled and bowed again to the Hokage and Kakashi and left the clearing.

Naruto once again faced the two older ninja. He was still grinning, but Kakashi noticed his eyes were guarded.

The Hokage was smiling that soft smile again. He gestured to the tall man next to him. "Hatake Kakashi, this is Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kakashi-san," he said.

Kakashi gave a stiff nod in return. "Uzumaki?" he asked. "You are Kushina's son?"

Naruto blinked at him once, his grin gone, and his gaze shifted to the Hokage.

"It's alright, Naruto," the Yondaime answered the unspoken question. "Kakashi is one of the few that knew about Kushina and me."

Those blue eyes, so like his sensei's, shifted back to Kakashi. "Yes, Uzumaki Kushina is my mother."

"And sensei…" he trailed off. It wasn't really a question anyway.

Naruto stayed quiet, but the Hokage answered. "Yes," he said simply. He reached out and gently ruffled the younger blonde's hair. His face had such a tender, loving expression that Kakashi suddenly found himself uncomfortable. It was like he shouldn't be there, witnessing something that belonged only to those two. He really, really hated to disturb them. But he had to; he had to ask the question that was nagging at the back of his mind.

"How do we know for certain?"

The Hokage instantly bristled. He faced his student with an undeniably angry expression and his eyes seemed to burn into his student's. His hand dropped to Naruto's shoulder. "Kakashi…" he growled, clearly letting the silver-haired ninja know he had crossed a line.

Kakashi didn't care. He kept his face blank and his eye fixed on Minato. Really, the Hokage should have expected him to question the boy's story.

Suddenly, Naruto laughed. It broke the tension and startled both the older ninja. They instinctively glanced at him. He was looking at Kakashi with a grin on his face. "Okaa-sama said you were paranoid," the younger blonde stated.

Kakashi blinked at him. "Kushina…told you about me?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "She said if you ever doubted who I was, I should tell you about the ring."

Kakashi blinked at him again. "The ring?" He glanced at Minato. His sensei was staring at Naruto with an odd expression.

"The ring otou-sama gave her," Naruto said softly, glancing quickly at the Hokage. Minato squeezed Naruto's shoulder, but made no sound. The young blonde turned back to Kakashi, who motioned for him to continue. He hadn't forgotten the ring, and he wanted to hear what Naruto had to say.

"It's a small, teardrop-shaped ruby set in a gold band with little leaves engraved all around it and their names engraved on the inside." His gaze slid to his father again. "She wears it on a chain around her neck. I've never seen her take it off."

Minato sucked in his breath and lowered his eyes. He must have been gripping Naruto's shoulder painfully, judging by the whiteness of his knuckles, but the young nin gave no indication of it. He was just gazing at his father with a sad look on his face.

Well, Kakashi didn't know how Kushina wore the ring, but he had to admit the description was certainly right. There were only four people still alive that knew Minato had given such a ring to the red-haired kunoichi. Well, five now, apparently.

The Copy Ninja gave a small bow. "Gomen, Hokage-sama, Naruto-kun," he said. "I believe you."

Naruto looked at him and grinned. "It's ok, Kakashi-san. Jiraiya-sensei didn't trust me either until I told him about it."

Minato spoke for the first time. "Why does she still wear it?" he asked quietly, his eyes still on the ground.

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama," his son said. "I don't know. I asked her once, but she made me run three miles for being impertinent."

Kakashi chuckled. Minato looked up at the sound and managed a small smile. "That sounds just like Kushina," the silver-haired man said.

The Hokage nodded and brought his hand from his son's shoulder to rub his eyes. He sighed and looked at his student. His face was serious, and Kakashi straightened up a bit. Whatever he was going to say next was something important. "Naruto's parentage is an S-class secret," he declared.

Kakashi nodded, thoughtful. "It won't keep for long," he pointed out.

"I know that," the Yondaime replied. "But it'll buy time before my enemies start to target Naruto. Enough for us to be prepared for the attack when it comes." He glanced at his son. "Besides, Naruto can take care of himself." He paused and looked back at Kakashi, his serious expression never changing. "He has…special gifts, from his mother's side."

Kakashi didn't miss how Naruto flinched slightly and turned wide, surprised eyes on his father. "A kekkei genkai?" the Copy Ninja asked. Kushina had never displayed anything like a bloodline limit in the time he had known her, but that didn't necessarily mean anything.

"You could call it that," the Yondaime said cryptically. "That information is an SS-class secret," he continued, making Kakashi's eye go wide, "so I won't be giving you any details. But I want you to know, in case you ever see Naruto doing anything… unusual. And if he ever tells you something about me, believe him."

Kakashi blinked, looking from his sensei to his younger copy. What did that mean? And just what sort of power did Naruto have for it to be SS-classified?

The Yondaime laughed. "You look confused, Kakashi," he said. "Don't worry, you'll understand when the time comes."

Kakashi shook his head and sighed. He _was_ confused. But he knew Minato wouldn't be giving him any more information.

The Hokage turned to his son. "You are teaching Lee-kun how to fight against kenjutsu?" he queried.

"Aa. He asked if I'd teach him after he saw me sparring with Tenten-chan. Said something about one of his 'eternal rivals' using a katana." The younger blonde shrugged. "I'm not really sure what he's talking about."

Minato laughed, his eyes sparkling. "Well, Kakashi could explain it to you. His student is the 'eternal rival' Lee-kun is talking about. But you'll get to meet him soon enough. Now that Kakashi is back, we'll have your spar after you're done training with Team Kurenai."

Naruto blinked and thought for a minute. "So, the person you're testing my kenjutsu against is Kakashi's student? And Lee's rival? And it'll be in two days?"

Minato nodded.

"All right!" Naruto crowed.

The Hokage chuckled and ruffled his son's hair again. Kakashi couldn't help but smile a little himself at the young blonde's enthusiasm. He'd see if that grin was still there after the spar. Even if Naruto was a genius like his father, Kakashi's student would be hard to beat. He was a genius too, after all.

* * *

Kurenai sighed. Kiba and Naruto were, once again, yelling at each other. It was the last day that Naruto would be training with them and she had decided to finish the practice with one-on-one sparring. They hadn't done any of that during the week and it seemed like a good time. She planned on having Naruto and Kiba fight last; hopefully by that point, they'd be tired out from sparring with their comrades and wouldn't kill each other. But a training spar was just the thing for them to work out their...issues.

Akamaru seemed to be slightly less afraid of Naruto now-he had stopped hiding his face in Kiba's back on the second day, although he still wouldn't let the blonde ninja anywhere near him except when it was absolutely necessary to complete their task. This hadn't done anything to improve Kiba's attitude though, and he had been acting more and more dominant to Naruto as the days passed. Some of the things he did were obvious, like insulting the blonde and generally giving him a hard time, which Naruto responded to by grinning and taunting Kiba back.

Other things were more subtle. Kiba would position himself in front of or higher than Naruto, or he would place himself between Naruto and his other teammates, especially Hinata. Kurenai was surprised that the blonde picked up on those behaviors. Most people wouldn't since it wasn't something humans normally thought about. But Naruto did notice, and he reacted just like Kiba might, by shifting his own position to be level with the Inuzuka. It was interesting, and something she'd have to think on. Kiba _had_ said he smelled similar to a dog.

At any rate, as the week wore on, Kiba tried harder and harder to rile the blonde and it was harder and harder for Naruto to laugh it off. The two teens ended up yelling at each other more and more and it took Shino or herself stepping in to get them to stop. This time, though, she didn't think that would work. The two were literally growling at each other. And it was because of Hinata.

Naruto and Hinata had been sparring and the dark-haired girl had been losing. It didn't help that she got flustered around him and would make a mistake, then would get more flustered and make more mistakes. It was a vicious cycle; one that Naruto was quick to take advantage of.

Which was how the Hyuuga had found herself flat on her back with her blonde crush straddling her and a kunai at her throat.

Naruto had blinked and grinned at her before pulling the kunai away. "I think that round goes to me!" he'd announced happily.

The poor girl had only been able to stare, face flushing red and chest heaving with dangerously rapid, shallow breaths. Kurenai was sure the only reason she hadn't passed out was because of the adrenaline from the fight.

Naruto had frowned when he noticed her condition. "Hinata-san?" he'd questioned. He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Hinata-" He hadn't gotten any further, as a brown-haired blur had appeared out of nowhere and knocked him off the stunned girl.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Kiba had yelled. And the argument had commenced.

Shino had helped Hinata to her feet and they were now staring at the two growling teens. Shino seemed impassive, but Kurenai could see the stiffness in his shoulders, and Hinata was blushing furiously and fidgeting like mad.

Kurenai sighed again. "That's enough," she said sharply. She was pleased when the two immediately shut up, though they were still glaring at each other. "We're moving on." The two chuunins turned to look at her. "That means it's time for your spar, Kiba, Naruto-kun."

Naruto broke into a grin that was mirrored on Kiba's face.

The jonin gestured to her other two students. "Come on." Shino and Hinata would be too distracted to spar themselves, so they may as well watch with her.

* * *

Naruto wore his usual grin as he faced off with his fellow chuunin. All that dominance crap Kiba had been pulling with him all week was really getting on his nerves, and now he finally had the chance to show this skinny puppy who was boss.

Kiba broke the silence with a little pre-battle trash talk. "I'll end this in one punch," he boasted, raising a fist.

Naruto cocked an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Kiba answered by springing forward. Naruto had to admit, the Inuzuka was fast. Not as fast as Lee, but quick nonetheless. His fist connected with Naruto's face, sending the blonde back a few steps. Blood trickled down his chin, but he never stopped grinning.

"Sorry, Kiba-san," he said. "I've had harder hits from my mother when I annoyed her." Which was true. Of course, she was a demon, but Kiba didn't know that.

The dog ninja growled. "I got the first hit," he said.

Naruto shrugged. "The first hit doesn't matter." He settled into his stance and licked the blood from his lip. "It's only the final hit that makes a difference."

Kiba growled again and charged. Naruto didn't see the two small balls in his hand until it was too late to dodge. Smoke enveloped the blonde, clouding his vision and clogging his nose. He still knew the Inuzuka was coming, but it was hard to block his punches when he couldn't see the dog ninja. He wasn't giving Naruto a chance to use any wind jutsu to clear the smoke either. And why was Akamaru holding back? Naruto could sense the dog's heartbeat off to his right, waiting. Waiting for what? For him to come out of the smoke?

Oh…

He blocked punches as best he could while a plan took shape. He grinned.

* * *

Kiba jabbed with his right fist, feeling it connect. He was landing some good hits on Naruto, who seemed disoriented by the smoke, as he intended. Now, when his opponent tried to escape…

A blonde figure shot out of the cloud to Kiba's left. He smirked. Perfect.

Akamaru was suddenly there, grabbing onto the blonde's arm and knocking him back into the smoke.

"You fell for it!" Kiba gloated. After a few more moments, the smoke started to dissipate, revealing Naruto lying on the ground in a heap with a triumphant looking Akamaru standing over him. The dog barked once and bounded towards Kiba.

"Good job-," Kiba started, but was interrupted when Akamaru suddenly leapt at him, snarling. Kiba got an arm up to block just in time and his dog latched onto it painfully, dragging him to the ground.

"A-Akamaru?" he stuttered, shocked. The dog growled lowly at him, and Kiba caught his scent. It smelled like Akamaru, but something was…off. He sniffed again and his eyes widened. "Naruto!" he hissed.

The dog standing over him disappeared in a _poof_ of smoke, revealing the blonde with his teeth sunk into Kiba's arm. Blood trickled down his chin and his eyes were a little wild.

KIba made an inarticulate noise and swung his other arm wildly. Naruto easily dodged, rolling off the Inuzuka into a crouched position. "Took you long enough," he said. He licked his lips, then he wrinkled his nose. "Yuck. You taste like dog."

Kiba stared at him in shock for a moment before finding his voice. "You bastard!" he cried. "Where's Akamaru?"

The blonde gestured behind him. The Naruto that had been huddled on the ground was now standing proudly with his arms crossed over his chest. Akamaru's head was sticking out of the ground at his feet. Kiba growled. The clone hadn't only been a decoy, it had hidden the real Akamaru from sight and prevented him from warning Kiba.

He focused back on the real Naruto, eyes narrowed in anger, although the insult he had been about to make died on his lips.

Naruto was watching him intently, and something about his gaze made Kiba uncomfortable. The wild look hadn't left his eyes and he hadn't wiped the blood from his chin. It felt as if the blonde was...hunting him. And Kiba didn't like it-he was used to being the hunter, not the prey. He remembered Naruto licking _his_ blood off his lips and tried not to shudder. His unease only made him angrier though and he snarled at the blonde. "Bastard! I won't hold back!"

Naruto smiled and it was the scariest smile Kiba had ever seen.

"Good," he replied, voice low. "I won't hold back either."

Suddenly, this fight seemed to be a lot more serious.

* * *

Kurenai winced as Kiba took a hard blow to the gut that had him doubled over, gasping. Things were not going well for the Inuzuka teen.

Something had changed. Kurenai could see it in the way Naruto looked and the way he moved. She could feel it in the tense air of the clearing.

Uzumaki Naruto had gotten serious.

Oh, he was still grinning, but it was not his usual carefree expression. This smile reminded her of a crocodile she'd seen once on a mission.

Kiba sensed the change too, and he had stepped up his fight. But it wasn't enough.

She had thought the two to be evenly matched, but now it was obvious they weren't. After Kiba's trick with the smoke bombs-and she was itching to grill Naruto about the bizarre henge he'd used to turn the tables-the blonde had dominated the fight.

Kiba had managed to get close enough to toss Akamaru a couple soldier pills, causing the normally brown-and-white ninja dog to turn an alarming red shade. He'd burst from the ground, snarling and dispersing Naruto's clone in the process. But Naruto hadn't been phased in the least, not even when the two performed their signature clan jutsu, the Gatsuuga. The blonde had merely watched the twin vortices spinning towards him before making a series of seals. He thrust his hands forward, palms together, and his own whirlwind erupted, twice as big as the one formed by the Inuzuka pair. The biggest weakness of the Gatsuuga is the difficulty in changing direction during the initial attack and Naruto had waited until the last minute. His opponents were hit with the full force of his attack and were blown back to the edge of the clearing. They landed in undignified heaps, disoriented from being forced out of their jutsu and bleeding from a few cuts here and there.

Kiba and Akamaru had barely gotten to their feet when Naruto pressed his advantage, the original going for Kiba while two clones went after Akamaru. Kiba and Akamaru were strongest together; they were more than the sum of the parts when they worked as a team. Apart they were weaker, and Naruto was exploiting that fact. When Akamaru managed to disperse the clones, more popped into existence, wearing the ninja dog down and preventing him from joining with his partner.

Kiba wasn't faring much better with the original. They were pretty evenly matched in speed; Naruto being maybe a hair slower, but the blonde's attacks were stronger. Even when Kiba blocked, Kurenai could see the force of the blow shifting his stance a little. The Inuzuka was landing some hits on the blonde, but he was getting worse than he was giving.

And he was starting to tire. In a battle of stamina, which this was turning into, Naruto would win, hands-down, every time.

She saw the punch being launched and knew this was the end, even before it landed. Kiba had slowed as his fatigue caught up with him and Naruto took full advantage of a hole he'd left in his defenses. It was a right jab, Naruto's fist crashing full-force into Kiba's face. The brown-haired teen flew backwards, eyes rolling back in his head, to land limply by Akamaru, who was currently stuck in a mud pit one of the clones had created with a water jutsu. The ninja dog growled lowly and barked at the blonde while trying to nuzzle the stunned Inuzuka with his nose.

Kiba groaned and sat up, rubbing at his face with the back of his hand. "Damn, Uzumaki," he said, but then he looked up and grinned.

Naruto straightened out of his defensive stance and grinned back. The tension in the air disappeared. "I win," he stated.

Kiba huffed and waved the blonde off. "Whatever. We want a rematch, right boy?" He scratched behind Akamaru's ears with a muddy hand and the ninja dog wagged his tail and barked.

Naruto laughed. "Sure, anytime, Dog Breath."

And instead of getting angry, like he had every other time Naruto called him that, Kiba laughed along.

Kurenai shook her head and smiled as Shino and Hinata joined their comrades. The blushing kunoichi offered some of her home-made healing salve to Naruto while Shino helped Kiba and Naruto's clones extricate Akamaru from the mud.

She knew the spar would do the trick.


	10. Uchiha and Team Asuma

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

_Chapter 10_

_**Uchiha and Team Asuma**_

Naruto landed in the clearing alongside his father and Jiraiya, hardly able to contain his excitement. Three people were already there, and he _knew _one of them was the person he desperately wanted to meet.

Kakashi stood, looking totally relaxed, with one hand stuck in his pocket and the other holding an orange-covered book. Naruto's nose wrinkled when he recognized one of Ero-sennin's pervy novels. It disappeared from the silver-haired ninja's hand the next second, though, as he bowed to the Hokage and greeted the other two with a little wave.

The man that stood next to Kakashi seemed to be in his early 20s, though the lines on his face made him look older. He had black eyes and inky black hair pulled back in a ponytail at the base of his skull. Loose strands framed his face. He wore a Leaf hitai ite on his forehead and a black cloak with a high collar that completely covered his body. His upright posture was the complete opposite of Kakashi's lazy slump, and his elegant bow to the Hokage wouldn't have been out of place at the Daimyo's court.

The youngest of the three stood in front of the older men. He was very familiar, but he wasn't wearing a yukata today. Like Naruto, he had on more practical attire. A white shirt with wide, long sleeves and a high, round collar. The zipper was partially open, revealing a mesh shirt underneath. Dark blue pants tucked into the same color gaiters and dark blue shinobi sandals. He also wore metal hand and forearm guards that disappeared under his sleeves. His katana was strapped to his back at waist level, held in place by a red sash that looped twice around his hips. His posture was just as straight and his bow just as formal as the other dark-haired man's.

Naruto grinned. It was _him_. The Kyuubi container. His opponent was the Kyuubi container. He wanted to laugh, but kept it in check.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the Hokage began, well aware of their prior meeting. "This is Uchiha Sasuke," he gestured to the black-haired teen, "and his brother, Uchiha Itachi."

Naruto bowed and said, "I am pleased to meet you both." He focused his gaze on his opponent. "I am especially glad to learn your name, Sasuke-san."

The Uchiha's blank expression hadn't changed, but the way his dark eyes were narrowed at the blonde, Naruto was sure Sasuke remembered him. His grin widened a fraction.

"As am I, Naruto-san," the Uchiha replied in a voice only slightly warmer than ice, giving a small bow in return.

Naruto cocked his head, taking in the young man across from him with all his senses. His scent was cool and crisp, like a winter night, with a slight edge to it, like burnt leaves. He also smelled vaguely of…tomatoes. His blood sounded dark and complex, like violins playing in a minor key. It was a most interesting music. Naruto would have liked to listen to it longer, but the eldest, Itachi, was speaking.

"Sasuke, you know this person?" he questioned, looking between the two. His own expression barely changed; only one eyebrow slightly lifted to show he was curious. Showing very little emotion seemed to run in the family.

"He is the person I told you about," Sasuke replied, not taking his gaze from Naruto.

It was Itachi's turn to look at Naruto with narrowed eyes. "I see."

"Now that you have been introduced," the Hokage interjected, "I think it's time we start. I am only interested in sword techniques at this point, so no other jutsus. Understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the two young chuunins replied, gazes still fixed on each other.

"Very good. Begin." The four older ninja leapt away, leaving the ground clear for the two combatants.

Naruto backed away a few paces, never taking his eyes from Sasuke. His opponent watched him just as carefully. When the blonde teen felt he was at a comfortable distance, he stopped and bowed again. It was a gesture of respect for his opponent and a signal he was ready to begin. Sasuke bowed back and settled into a stance with his left arm held diagonally across his chest and his right hand gripping the hilt of his sheathed katana. Naruto, however, drew his sword fully, both hands on the hilt, blade upright and tilted slightly forward.

They stared at each other a few minutes longer. A breeze blew through the clearing, jingling the small silver bell attached to the end of Naruto's katana. The faint ringing sound broke the silence, and, as though it was a signal, the two ninja leapt at each other in a blur.

* * *

Itachi watched the fight with narrowed eyes. He hadn't thought much of the young blonde when he had first seen him. He was certainly polite, but that goofy smile seemed out of place on a serious ninja. The Hokage must have had his reasons for accepting the teen into Konoha as a chuunin, though. The elder Uchiha had immediately noticed the resemblance between the two and thought that might have been a very big part of his decision. He had been surprised to learn that this was the strange blonde his brother had met in the forest. Naruto didn't seem very dangerous, but then, looks could be deceiving.

When they had started fighting, Itachi thought he might be dangerous in other ways, but he wasn't as a swordsman. He was fast, but Sasuke was faster. After the first few minutes, openings began appearing in the blonde's defenses that the dark-haired teen was quick to exploit. Itachi was sure the new ninja wouldn't last five minutes against his brother.

But...he had.

He'd lasted fifteen minutes and still had that odd grin on his face. He didn't seem about to go down now.

Sasuke was still faster, but Naruto was more powerful. Every time Sasuke tried to strike at what seemed like an obvious hole, Naruto was there to block it. Even if it wasn't a perfectly-positioned block, it was enough for Sasuke's blade to slide harmlessly to the side. It didn't seem like his otouto had even touched Naruto once.

It took Itachi a few minutes, but he realized that the openings in Naruto's defense weren't accidental. It was part of the style. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. Naruto was purposefully allowing Sasuke in. That way he could predict every move, and because he knew where Sasuke would strike, he could start to block a little before the black-haired teen even began his attack. It was a very crafty thing to do, and Itachi was impressed. Not that he would show it.

He wondered how long it would take his foolish little brother to catch on.

* * *

Sasuke was angry. The blonde ninja in front of him was somehow blocking every move he made, despite their obvious differences in speed. Not only that, but he had gotten dangerously close to nicking Sasuke a few times when the force of his blows had almost broken through the Uchiha's own blocks.

And he wouldn't stop _smiling_. Sasuke gritted his teeth. He wanted to wipe that damn grin off the blonde's face. He was grinning like this was a _game_, like this was _fun_. Like he wasn't taking this seriously. Wasn't taking _Sasuke_ seriously. Just who the hell did he think he was? Didn't he know who he was dealing with? Sasuke was the second-best swordsman in the village, after Itachi. He'd even surpassed Hayate, and he could beat anyone else with one hand tied behind his back.

_Except I'm not beating _him_, am I?_

The thought came unbidden and it only made him angrier.

He'd show him.

The black-haired teen ducked under Uzumaki's swing and lunged forward. His opponent had overextended himself, leaving an opening...

He hissed as the blonde smoothly reversed his blade and blocked Sasuke's strike once again. He shoved the Uchiha back, forcing him to shift his stance or be off balance.

Damn it! It was _maddening_. It was like the blonde knew…his thoughts screeched to a halt, then began working furiously. The blonde _did_ know. He was doing it on purpose--leaving himself open. It was a brilliant trick against a faster opponent.

That bastard.

Sasuke made a feint for another opening, only to move at the last second and strike at the opposite side. There was no way the blonde could move fast enough to counter...

Sasuke blinked.

Uzumaki had blocked his blade with the back of his hand. The sword slid down off the metal plate and the blonde jumped back to put some space between them. Sasuke moved into a defensive stance and waited, watching his opponent warily.

Uzumaki wasn't even breathing hard. Nor had the smile gone away. If anything, it had intensified. Sasuke ground his teeth together.

"So, you figured it out," his opponent said.

Sasuke didn't dignify the remark with a response.

The blonde chuckled. Sasuke seethed. Was he being _laughed_ at?!

Uzumaki settled into the same stance he'd used at the beginning. Well, Sasuke was on to him. That little trick wouldn't work anymore. He would finish it now. He attacked.

Suddenly, Uzumaki flipped the katana in his hands so the blade was pointed back along his forearm and changed his stance. He was going to fight with a totally different style.

_Damn._

_

* * *

_

Minato watched the battle with increasing apprehension. At first, it had seemed that, while talented, his son was no match for the Uchiha.

But...

Minato was once again surprised and impressed by his son's crafty mind. He was leaving himself open on purpose, tricking Sasuke into attacking him just where he wanted him to attack. The Yondaime was sure, though, that once Sasuke figured it out, he would use his superior speed to finish the match quickly. And he'd tried. But it hadn't worked.

Naruto had altered his style and there were no more holes. Every thrust and parry was executed flawlessly. It was actually quite beautiful, like a dance. There were no openings for Sasuke to attack. Naruto also fought close in to his opponent, limiting Sasuke's maneuverability and reducing the advantage of his greater speed. It was a problem for the Uchiha, since his own style was based on making quick strikes, then moving out of range. The Hokage was terribly proud of his son for finding his opponent's weaknesses so quickly and taking advantage of them. He had obviously inherited Kushina's skill with a blade.

But Sasuke was not taking it as well. Even though his expression remained blank, emotionless, Minato could tell he was angry. He could see the way Sasuke's jaw was clenched and how tightly he was gripping his katana. Soon enough, he would either make a mistake, or, more likely, disregard Minato's directive and start using ninjutsu. He might even activate his Sharingan and try catching Naruto in a genjutsu, which may or may not work according to Kurenai. If it didn't, it would only make the Uchiha angrier and Minato was concerned that Sasuke would take things too far. In the absolute worst-case scenario, he'd get angry enough to draw on the Kyuubi's chakra. How Naruto would deal with _that, _if he could at all, was completely unknown and therefore, extremely worrisome.

Minato wasn't sure why, exactly, Sasuke was getting upset. Sure, he was proud, all the Uchiha were. Yes, he had reason to be proud--he was exceptionally skilled and Minato was considering promoting him to jonin soon. Ok, most of the village treated him like some sort of god. But surely he wasn't so angry just because Naruto was proving to be a match for him? There was something more going on.

Just then, the opponents broke apart again. Sasuke was panting a little, but Naruto wasn't. They were both crouched in defensive postures, waiting for the other. Sasuke suddenly smirked in a way Minato didn't like _at all_. The Uchiha was going to do something.

Sasuke took a deep breath and brought his left hand up in half of a Ram seal. Suddenly the air was still, like the calm before a storm. Minato felt the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand up. His breath caught; surely Sasuke wasn't going to use _that..._

Lightening suddenly crackled along the blade of his katana, with a sound like a thousand birds chirping.

The Chidori. Kakashi had taught it to him, and worked with him on incorporating it into his kenjutsu. It was most impressive. And it was damn dangerous.

Minato was just about to step forward and call a halt to the match when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked back at his sensei.

Jiraiya was shaking his head. "Remember, wind is stronger than lightening," he said.

Minato blinked at the Toad Sage. "But, Jiraiya--"

"You think Kakashi is the only one who thought of adding ninjutsu to kenjutsu?" The white-haired man shook his head again. "Just watch."

Minato chewed on his lip, staring at the big man. He sighed. He'd watch. He'd trust his sensei. But so help him, if one hair on Naruto's head was singed...

His son's laughter echoed in the clearing and Minato couldn't help but smile, despite his worry. Naruto didn't seem at all fazed by this new development, and the Hokage was sure that would only infuriate the Uchiha more. Naruto's laughter faded, but he was still smiling.

The younger blonde brought his own hand up in a seal and the wind in the clearing picked up, rustling the branches and dislodging a few leaves from the trees. Minato felt it, blowing his hair, caressing his cheek. A slight smile pulled up the corners of his lips. If Naruto could pull this off...

The wind died down. The clearing was still. Nothing seemed to have changed about Naruto's sword, but Minato thought he could see the occasional ripple in the air around it.

Sasuke moved first, slashing out with his blade, sending a bolt of lightening towards the blonde. Naruto countered with his own slash. The wind met the lightening in the middle, and the electricity dissipated with a flash and a boom. The two teens started moving towards each other before the noise had even died away.

This was going to be a big explosion. Minato started running through hand seals. He held the jutsu for a second, wanting to watch for as long as possible. The two swept their swords towards each other and the blades stopped inches apart, held back by the elemental chakra surrounding them. The Yondaime slammed his hand to the ground even as he was blinded by a white light and deafened by a roar. An earth dome sprang up around him and the other three spectators, just in time. The shockwave hit it a moment later. It shook, but held. Wind raged outside and Minato could hear trees cracking and breaking.

When silence returned, Minato cautiously opened a hole in the dome. He let his eyes adjust to the light that streamed through and glanced at Jiraiya, who was looking at him with raised eyebrows. He apparently hadn't expected quite this reaction. Minato shook his head a little and stepped out of the dome, the others right behind him.

He heard Jiraiya's gasp, Kakashi's low whistle and Itachi's quiet "Hn." His own breath had been stolen. It was utter devastation. The first two rows of trees surrounding the clearing had been flattened. Beyond that, they were standing, although some only barely. Limbs and leaves had been ripped away. The ground was churned up like a giant herd of cattle had rampaged through the area. Two rifts had been scored into the earth, perfectly straight lines stretching from where the two young ninja had clashed to half-way to the edge of the clearing. Both teens were now cautiously climbing out of the trenches. Their own bodies had made them when they'd been flung away from each other by the force of the blast. Minato winced a little. It must have hurt like hell to plow through the earth like that, but neither teen seemed to have even a scratch on them, though their clothes were dirty and disheveled.

He turned to his sensei and cocked an eyebrow. "Just watch, hmmm?" he commented, voice drier than the Wind Country's deserts.

Jiraiya had the grace to look sheepish. "Ahhh...well..."

Sasuke was just standing by the rift he had made, with a stunned expression on his face. Naruto was grinning. He sheathed his katana and started walking toward the other teen. "Oy! Sasuke-san!" he called, waving his hand. "That was really cool!"

Minato shook his head a little. Only his son would call that display of power 'cool.' He himself was thinking words like 'incredible,' 'amazing,' and 'scary.' These two were still fairly young, after all.

For now, he ignored the part of him that was coldly calculating how much stronger they were likely to become and if the other Hidden Villages could compare -- _(Suna and Iwa, unlikely; Kumo and Kiri, maybe; Ame and the new one...uh...Oto, unknown; the others, not worth mentioning)_ -- as well as the part that was cackling with glee at the thought of the reactions of the other Kages, had they been here -- _(Ha! I can see the expression on the Tsuchikage's face now, that cranky old bastard...)_.

Naruto's voice had broken Sasuke out of his reverie. He was looking at the blonde with his eyes narrowed, every muscle in his body tense. His anger didn't seem to have abated at all. If anything, it was now worse.

"Shut up!" he spat venomously. Naruto stopped walking, his face falling into a confused expression. It would have been comical, if Minato hadn't been so concerned about what Sasuke was going to do next. "Just shut up!"

Naruto face lost its confusion, going suddenly very serious. "Sasuke-san," he said, quietly. "Why are you so angry?"

Sasuke sucked in his breath, but didn't answer. He just stood, looking at the blonde, fists clenched. Silence filled the clearing.

Itachi appeared next to his younger brother. "Sasuke," he said, his voice calm.

The younger Uchiha didn't acknowledge his brother's presence, but instead turned abruptly towards Minato, Jiraiya, and Kakashi. He bowed stiffly.

"Forgive me, Hokage-sama," he said and turned and left the clearing without another word, the red and white Uchiha crest on his back disappearing quickly amid what was left of the foliage. Minato wasn't sure if he was apologizing for the fight or his rude exit. Maybe both.

His son took a step forward. "Sasuke-san--," he called, but Itachi interrupted him.

"No, Uzumaki-san. It's best to just let him go," he said, also gazing in the direction his brother had gone.

Naruto nodded reluctantly and turned towards the spot where the other three men were standing. Itachi turned in their direction too. "With your permission, Hokage-sama?" he asked.

Minato nodded and the elder Uchiha bowed to him, nodded to Jiraiya and Kakashi, and left. He didn't go in the same direction as Sasuke, but the Yondaime was sure he was going to keep an eye on his brother just the same.

Minato sighed.

"Well. That was...interesting," Jiraiya said, echoing Minato's own thoughts.

Kakashi was watching the younger blonde as he picked his way carefully across the ruined clearing towards them. "Chidori is change in both chakra nature and form," he commented. "Was that what Naruto-kun did?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "No, that was just change in nature."

Kakashi blinked at him. "Just change in nature?" He looked back at the teen. "He must've used a lot of chakra to match the power of the Chidori."

Jiraiya snorted. "He has a lot to throw around, as I'm sure you've noticed." Kakashi shrugged, which from him meant _Why, yes, I have_, and Jiraiya continued. "He knows about change in form, of course, but we haven't tried incorporating both." He smiled in Minato's direction. "I figured you'd want to to work with him on that."

Minato smiled back. The thought of working with his son to complete the Rasengen--add chakra nature transformation to the jutsu that was purely chakra form transformation--made him more excited than he'd been in a long time.

Said young blonde had reached them, though, so he made no reply.

Naruto bowed to the three men and rubbed the back of his head, grinning somewhat nervously. When none of them said anything, his grin faltered a little and he started fidgeting. After a few more moments of silence, he dropped his gaze and bit his lip.

Minato laughed, deciding his son had had enough torture, and ruffled his hair. "Good job, musuko," he said, smiling.

Naruto looked up and smiled brilliantly back.

Jiraiya huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "How come you don't care when _he_ messes up your hair?" he asked.

Naruto blinked at him. "Because," he replied, as if the answer was obvious. Which it was, really.

Jiraiya smiled a little and ruffled the blonde's hair himself, then laughed when Naruto scowled and ducked away. "Brat."

"Pervy old man," Naruto muttered, running his own hand through his locks. Kakashi chuckled, but turned it into a cough when Jiraiya shot him a look.

Minato grinned and thought he'd never been happier in his life.

"Ano," Naruto said hesitantly. "Why was Sasuke-san so mad?"

Minato's grin faded a bit and he shook his head. "I don't know, Naruto." He glanced at Kakashi, conveying his own curiosity on the subject. Kakashi gave the barest of nods. He would give Minato his opinions on Sasuke's behavior when they were alone.

"Well," the Yondaime continued, clapping his hands together. "It can't be helped, so let's head back to my office, hmmm? I would like to discuss the spar, Naruto, as well as the next team you will be working with..."

* * *

Sasuke barely noticed the trees that flashed past him in a blur or the bark that splintered under his feet. He was far more focused on the burning red chakra that threatened to leak from his body.

Damn fox.

Anger always made it dangerously easy to tap into the vast chakra stores of the Kyuubi, and it didn't help that the demon was _pushing _from his end, almost urging Sasuke to use it. He'd nearly lost control in the clearing, which was why he'd made such an abrupt exit.

It was so very tempting to give in to the pressure, to let the rush of power overtake him. The world seemed so much _clearer_ when he used the fox's chakra and he felt so strong, like he could do anything. Oh, he knew it was because he was borrowing the demon's enhanced senses and that the strength came at a price. So he much preferred to do things with his own power, but...that didn't make it any less addicting when he did tap into the fox's.

He could use just a little--_a little won't hurt_--to make that grin disappear. Uzumaki wouldn't be smiling, no he wouldn't be smiling at all, when Sasuke shoved his claws through--

_No! Fuck!_

The branch he pushed off from shattered and he would have fallen had another bough not been below the first. He leaned against the tree trunk, one hand pressed to the dark, rough bark and the other pressed to his stomach, as though he could physically push the chakra and the bloody thoughts away. Even if it didn't work like that, the gesture still calmed him, for whatever inexplicable reason. He took a few deep breaths and started moving again. He didn't have far to go now.

The trees ended and he dropped to the ground, not breaking his stride as he crossed the hard-packed dirt road and continued down the incline. He didn't stop until he came to the very end of the pier that jutted into the clear waters of the lake.

It was his sanctuary, of sorts. It was the place he went when he needed to be alone, to get away. The lake was on the edge of the Uchiha district, with nothing beyond it but forest and the great wall that surrounded Konoha. Only a strip of trees and the dirt road separated it from the village proper, but, though he could see the towers and spires of Konoha, it seemed a world away. No one came here; the villagers didn't because it was Uchiha property and the clan members didn't because they knew he frequented it.

He sighed as he sank onto the wooden planks, crossing his legs and resting his elbows on his knees. He supported his chin with interlaced fingers and stared out over the lake. The cool air and the soft sound of the water lapping at the pier relaxed him, like it always did.

He didn't know why this place soothed him so. It shouldn't. It was the place where he'd learned the one and only technique his father had ever taught him--his clan's Goukakyuu no Jutsu. He'd been thrilled that his father finally seemed to be acknowledging him, after a lifetime of being belittled for not measuring up to his older brother or the potential the Uchiha Clan Head assumed he had as the jinchuuriki for the most powerful demon in existence. He'd worked so hard, with every moment of his free time outside the Academy, to perfect it, to prove himself worthy. And he had_, _in only a week_. _The words his father had spoken when his youngest had shown him the completed jutsu--_As expected; you are my boy_--had made seven-year-old Sasuke feel so warm, so _accepted_. He'd really thought his father finally loved him.

One week later, the man tried to kill him.

This place should be a bitter reminder of that profound betrayal. He should hate it here. But he didn't. Perhaps because this was the one place his father had ever shown pride in him and treated him, not as a weapon or a demon container, but as a normal human being, as his _son._ Even if it had been for a brief moment, Sasuke thought it was real. He didn't think his father had been lying, no matter what happened afterwards. Maybe that was a silly delusion on his part, but so what? If it meant he could come to this solitary pier and find comfort in memories that made him _happy_, as twisted as it might be, then so be it. His father was no longer around to say one way or the other anyway.

Although, thinking about his father was probably not the best way to calm himself down. He closed his eyes and concentrated on simply breathing in and out, picturing the anger still simmering inside him leaving his body with every exhalation. As the feeling abated, the burning pressure of the demonic chakra went with it, so it no longer felt like he might explode. It was a technique the Yondaime had suggested to him.

Hn. Uzumaki looked a hell of a lot like the Yondaime, right down to that infuriating grin. But what were those marks on his cheeks? Scars? They looked like whiskers...

His stomach shifted strangely and he hissed.

What was the fox's problem anyway? Why was he trying to force his chakra on Sasuke? The demon had never done that before. Of course, he'd never laughed before either. Maybe he should tell his brother. Maybe the Hokage needed to check the seal...

Seals weakened over time. Even one that had the power of the Shinigami behind it. And since he was the container, it was his responsibility to alert the Yondaime if anything seemed amiss. After all, no one else would be able to tell, would they?

After a few more breaths, he stood and made his way back towards dry land, not at all surprised when his brother appeared at the top of the steps that led up to the road. Itachi never disturbed him when he was sitting on the pier, but that didn't mean the older Uchiha wouldn't be hovering around, keeping an eye on him. It was incredibly annoying. But, if Sasuke cared to admit it, which he didn't, it was incredibly reassuring too.

"Onii-san," he greeted when he reached Itachi. _I'm ok._

"Sasuke," his big brother replied. _Good._

They walked in silence towards the compound and their home.

"I think Hokage-sama will put Uzumaki-san on a team with you."

Sasuke was good at hiding his reactions, but not as good as his brother. He couldn't help but shift his gaze to the elder's face to see if there was any indication he was joking. Which there wasn't.

Sasuke faced forward again. "Explain."

He could see Itachi's small smirk from the corner of his eye. "Foolish little brother." Sasuke resisted the urge to pout like a child at the use of that damn phrase and settled for slightly narrowing his eyes. Itachi pretended not to notice his ire and continued. "Your team is incomplete, and, from what the Yondaime has told me, Uzumaki-san's skills complement yours and Haruno-san's."

Sasuke lifted one eyebrow. "Is that so." He kept his voice skeptical, refusing to acknowledge any of the other emotions Itachi's words invoked. If the new ninja was as good in other areas as he was in kenjutsu... But that's not what his brother had said. Only that Uzumaki's skills 'complemented' his, not 'matched.' So it was no use feeling anything like hope or excitement that he'd finally found a decent sparring partner.

Hadn't he just been angry, for whatever reason, anyway? He shouldn't _want_ to be on a team with the blonde and his annoying grin and contagious laugh...

And he didn't want to. Didn't. _Did. Not._ Really.

But if Itachi was right--and he was right an infuriatingly large percentage of the time--then the younger Uchiha would have to do something about the fox. He couldn't be wasting his concentration on fighting back demonic chakra every time he was around the blonde.

"I think Hokage-sama should examine the seal," Sasuke said. His voice was as indifferent as if he was remarking on the weather, but his shoulders were tense.

His brother, in true Uchiha fashion, showed no reaction to his statement. "I will speak with him," he replied, his own voice as expressionless as his face.

Silence again.

"Are you hungry, Sasuke?" _If you need me, I am here._ "I believe some of the tomatoes in the garden have ripened."

"Hn." _I know. "_I suppose, onii-san." _Thank you._

_

* * *

_

Sarutobi Asuma leaned against a tree and watched his team do their best to capture Uzumaki Naruto. Akimichi Chouji barreled around the clearing in a blur of red and brown, using his clan's Nikudan Sensha technique to try and herd the young blonde towards Shikamaru so the Nara could catch him in his shadow. Yamanaka Ino waited patiently, hidden in the brush behind Shikamaru, for her teammates to trap their quarry so she could use her mind possession jutsu on him. Uzumaki was quick and agile, though, and had managed to avoid both Chouji and Shikamaru thus far.

The dark-haired jonin drew a drag on his cigarette. He was far enough away that he wouldn't give Naruto a sneezing fit with his bad habit like he had earlier. As funny as it had been, he didn't want to distract the younger ninja right now. The Hokage wanted him to get to know his peers and learn some teamwork. So, Asuma had set a task for his team: get the new chuunin to do something he would never, _ever_ do. Such an assignment allowed them to showcase their individual talents and teamwork skills, as well as seeing what Uzumaki's abilities were.

Asuma chuckled to himself as he remembered Uzumaki's response when he asked the blonde to name something he would never do. _"Betray Hokage-sama."_

Well, that was good to know, but the jonin had no desire to include the Hokage in this little exercise, so he had asked for something else. The second thing he said was just as amusing as the first, if for different reasons. _"Turn down Ichiraku Ramen!" _

The pleased grin on Naruto's face had quickly been replaced by absolute horror when Asuma announced that his team would be trying to force him to do just that. Chouji had looked almost as appalled as Naruto and had actually apologized to the blonde before they began the exercise.

The jonin blew out a puff of smoke as he watched Uzumaki perform a low-level wind jutsu, forcing Shikamaru to take cover and his shadow to retreat. The Hokage also wanted Asuma to work with the new ninja on his wind affinity. Jiraiya of the Sannin was a great ninja to be sure, but he didn't have wind-based chakra. Asuma was the only ninja in Konoha besides the Yondaime himself who did.

The dark-haired man snorted softly and scratched his beard. Who did the Hokage think he was fooling? It was completely obvious. The kid was a mini-Minato; he looked exactly like him, had wind for his primary chakra affinity--a rare thing not just in Konoha, but Fire Country in general--and had been taught by the same teacher. Jiraiya hadn't taken on any apprentices since Minato himself, for heaven's sake.

Although, some of the young blonde's personality traits were more like his mother's. Asuma remembered Uzumaki Kushina. He'd been friends with Kakashi long enough to have met the fiery-tempered red-head a few times back in the day. He hadn't known she was involved with the Yondaime, but the proof was standing in front of him.

Despite all that, he understood the secrecy. He remembered all too well the kidnapping attempts on himself and his sibling when he was younger. Until Naruto could protect himself, he supposed the Hokage wanted to protect him. Judging by the teen's silly grin and loud voice, Asuma thought that might take awhile.

"Damn it! Let go!" The blonde's voice carried over to Asuma. Honestly, hadn't Jiraiya explained that ninja were _quiet_? Chouji held the new ninja in a firm grip. Uzumaki struggled, but he couldn't break free from the Akimichi's oversized hands. Shikamaru's shadow stretched out to grab the blonde's own, and the chase seemed to be over. But Uzumaki suddenly grinned slyly--_that look can't be good--_and disappeared in a _poof_ of smoke.

Asuma almost lost his cigarette as his jaw dropped slightly. That was a shadow clone?! Damn. Jiraiya must've taught him. So where was the real one? He began to scan the surrounding forest when twenty or so black-and-orange-clad ninja appeared in the clearing.

"Can ya' catch me now?" they chorused, every whiskered face sporting a cheeky grin. Chouji stared in surprise and Asuma swore he heard Shikamaru mutter his favorite T-word. The dark-haired jonin chuckled to himself. There was more to Uzumaki Naruto than he'd thought.

* * *

Ino ignored the banter of her teammates and stabbed viciously at the whorled fishcake in her ramen bowl.

They had finally, _finally_ caught the new ninja. It had taken forever. Actually, that was part of the reason they were successful--as the sun sank lower, the lengthening shadows gave Shikamaru a decided advantage, even with the armies of clones Naruto seemed able to produce. Of course, Shika's brilliant strategies helped too.

At any rate, they had captured the new ninja--the real one--and it had been Ino's turn. Chouji had come to stand behind her, ready to catch her body when her spirit exited it to inhabit the mind of her opponent. She only needed to take control of Naruto long enough to get him to turn down Ichiraku Ramen for dinner. It was kind of silly, really--the new ninja would do _anything_ while she controlled him, so why not something a little more...exciting? But that was the goal of their exercise and so she would do it.

But it failed.

Shintenshin no Jutsu, one of her clan's special techniques, that she had done a million times before, _failed_.

And it wasn't that Naruto broke it--which had only happened once anyway, when she faced Sakura in their first Chuunin Exam--it hadn't worked _at all_.

Asuma had made his offer to treat the blonde to ramen and she'd initiated the jutsu, confident of their success. She had felt the peculiar rushing sensation that always accompanied the transfer. But then...

It was like she'd hit a brick wall.

She'd retreated automatically to her body, blinking her eyes open with a gasp. She vaguely heard Chouji's concerned voice asking if she was ok, but her gaze was fixed on Naruto. He had a giant grin on his face as he replied to a bemused Asuma that yes, he would very much like ramen for dinner, thank you.

At that point, she'd shaken off her shock and stalked out of the bushes, going right up to the new chuunin and actually placing her hands in their seal on his forehead. Chouji was crashing through the bushes behind her, Shikamaru was muttering under his breath, and their sensei was walking towards them, calling her.

She ignored them all and performed the jutsu again.

The only change was that the brick wall slammed into her much more quickly.

She hissed a little in pain and her knees almost gave out. Strong hands gripped her arms, steadying her, but they weren't Chouji's. She locked gazes with concerned blue eyes, the color darker--_richer_--than her own.

"Are you ok, Ino-san?" her fellow blonde chuunin asked.

She pushed herself out of the new ninja's grasp. "I'm fine," she said coldly, ignoring the headache that had appeared in her temples. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What did you do?"

He tilted his head. "Eh? What do you mean?"

She resisted the urge to strangle him, at least until she got her answer. "I mean," she replied through gritted teeth, "why didn't my jutsu work?"

"Oh, that." He'd grinned and tapped his temple with one finger. "I have mental shields. That jutsu won't work on me." He turned to Asuma, completely ignoring her incredulous look. "So, Asuma-sensei, about that ramen..."

Which was how they found themselves eating at Ichiraku Ramen with a very loud, smug blonde.

She still couldn't believe it. _Mental shields?_

She'd never heard of such a thing, but she was sure as hell going to ask her father about it. There had to be _some_ way around...

Her thoughts were interrupted by Naruto's voice. "So, Chouji-san," he asked, somehow speaking while shoveling noodles into his mouth at an obscene rate, "can you expand any body part?"

The Akimichi paused in his own slurping to eye the blonde curiously. "Aa, just about, why?"

Naruto grinned devilishly and pointed his chopsticks at the larger teen. "I'll bet the ladies _looooove_ you."

Chouji stared at him for a moment, before he figured out what the new ninja meant. The spirals on his cheeks were almost lost in the red of his blush and he tried to stutter out some kind of denial. The new ninja laughed and slapped the Akimichi on the shoulder. "I'm just messin' with ya!" he exclaimed.

Ino fought the blush--and the small smile--that threatened to appear on her own face as she stared fixedly at her ramen. _That baka!_ _Saying something like that in the presence of a woman!_

She heard Shikamaru's amused snort before their sensei's laughter drowned it out. "Well, I see a little of Jiraiya-sama's nature rubbed off on you, Naruto-kun," Asuma commented, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

Naruto just grinned and went back to his ramen.

Ino silently fumed. How did this idiotic, loud, annoying _boy_ beat her? She couldn't let it stand. Out of her teammates, she was the only one to fail, which was why they were even here in the first place. So what that everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves--except maybe Asuma, who kept glancing at the ever-increasing stacks of bowls in front of Naruto and Chouji with concern. She had _failed_. What if it happened in the future, out in the field? In a real life-or-death situation?

She'd figure out these shields that Naruto supposedly had and she'd get around them. She'd show him.

* * *

Nara Shikamaru was a genius. Not in the way that Sasuke and Neji were considered geniuses, but in the more traditional meaning of the word. He didn't like to flaunt his gift, though. He was no show-off. Besides, it was _troublesome_. He had realized at a young age what happened to those who stood out from the crowd, and he didn't want that sort of life. He much preferred to be average. He certainly looked the part. He had average dark brown hair pulled up in a spiky ponytail on top of his head and average dark brown eyes. He dressed as an average chuunin, although he wore stud earrings and tied his hitai ite around his left arm instead of his forehead.

Thankfully, he belonged to a clan that didn't have ridiculous expectations of its members, unlike the Uchiha and the Hyuuga. Of course, as clan heir, he had _some_ expectations to live up to, but he found them to dovetail with his own plans well enough. The Nara, after all, were known for various things--commanding shadows, medicines involving deer antlers, strategic minds--but being ambitious was _not _one of them. He did just enough to keep his mother from yelling at him and his father from feeling disappointed, and if either of them thought he was wasting his talents, they didn't mention it. He spent the rest of his time doing what _he_ considered worthwhile: playing shougi, sleeping, and watching clouds with his best friend, Chouji. Others called him 'lazy'; he preferred the term 'laid-back,' though it didn't really matter much either way. He simply didn't like exerting himself any more than necessary and studiously avoided situations where he might be forced to do so.

Which is why he found the new ninja to be so...troublesome.

It wasn't that Naruto was loud and loquacious and said the most ridiculous things sometimes, though that was troublesome enough. It was that he was an enigma, a puzzle. And Shikamaru felt compelled to solve puzzles, but any that were worth his time ended up requiring more than the usual amount of effort on his part.

Take, for example, Naruto's obvious similarities to the Yondaime. The Nara teen was certain they were related. Given their ages, they were probably father and son. It was possible they had a different relationship, like uncle and nephew, but Shikamaru didn't think so. Naruto's blatant resemblance to the Hokage indicated a closer blood tie.

But Shikamaru couldn't be certain, because whatever their relationship was, they were keeping it a secret. Any piece of news as important as a long-lost relative of the village leader would have been the talk of Konoha--having a gossip for a teammate had taught him that--but he had heard nothing.

And if the blonde _was_ the Yondaime's son, where had he been for the past sixteen years? The only thing Shikamaru knew was that he had trained with Jiraiya of the Sannin for seven years prior to his arrival in Konoha. Naruto was willing enough to talk about his time with the Toad Sage, but he never spoke about his life before that. When asked directly, he'd grin and give a vague reply that didn't really answer the question. Then he'd distract them by saying or doing something inane or outrageous. At first, Shikamaru had scoffed at the blonde's antics along with Ino, but then the Nara teen realized what the new ninja was doing--skillfully avoiding the subject.

Those distractions were doubly effective because Naruto joked and talked and laughed _all the time_; it wasn't an act. So it was hard to know when he was doing it to divert attention and when he was just being himself.

He couldn't believe Ino hadn't picked up on it; she was supposed to be training with her father to be an interrogator. But it seemed, judging by her frequent use of the word 'idiot' when speaking to her fellow blonde, she was still too mad at Naruto for blocking her jutsu to notice. It was a drag.

And it was an inaccurate description. Anyone as wily as Naruto was during a fight was clearly not an idiot. Shikamaru had discovered that on the very first day. The blonde's creativity and ability to think on his feet impressed the Nara, even as he found it to be _extremely_ troublesome, and that didn't happen every day.

And yet, while Shikamaru knew the blonde wasn't stupid, he wasn't exactly smart either. Or, perhaps that wasn't the right way to put it. He didn't always pick up on sarcasm, or know what certain colloquialisms meant. Sometimes, he took the others seriously when they were joking and vice versa. He was often blunt to the point of tactlessness. It was pretty obvious that whatever he thought, he said, with very little filtering between his brain and his mouth. It made the blonde seem dumb, but Shikamaru didn't think that was it. It was more like he didn't always understand how to interact with his peers. Children learn how to socialize from their parents and others around them. But Naruto seemed to have missed out on some of the lessons. Had he grown up alone? Was that part of the reason he didn't like to talk about his past?

Man, secrets were such a drag.

The blonde wasn't always happy-go-lucky either. Shikamaru had seen another side of Naruto after their first practice, as they were walking to the ramen stand. The ponytailed teen knew how much ramen Chouji could eat and he didn't want Naruto to make any sort of comments that would upset his friend. Or land the blonde in the hospital.

"Don't say anything about how much Chouji eats."

Naruto blinked at him. "Why would I do that?"

"He eats a lot, and he's sensitive about his weight. So don't say anything about it."

Naruto's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why is he sensitive about his weight? It's not like he's fat or anything."

Shikamaru tensed and glanced at the red-clad teen walking in front of them, his armor glinting and his chestnut hair turned russet in the waning sun. He was talking to Ino and didn't seem to have heard the taboo word. The Nara relaxed. Even though Naruto said he _wasn't_ fat, Chouji sometimes...jumped to conclusions. "I know, but--"

"Sure, he's bigger than most of the ninja I've seen in Konoha, but he needs to be for his clan jutsus, doesn't he?"

Shikamaru blinked. Naruto had figured that out already? It was pretty obvious to the ponytailed teen, but not everybody bothered to make the connection. They'd rather just make fun of his friend and leave it at that. "Well, yes, but--"

"So what's the big deal?"

The Nara stared at the new ninja. Did Naruto really not understand how cruel people could be? Was he that naive? He sighed and faced forward again. "Listen, Naruto-san, I don't know about where you come from, but here, kids that are different get picked on. Understand?"

Naruto stopped walking and when Shikamaru stopped too, he found himself being pierced by an oddly intense gaze. He resisted the urge to take a step back.

"You mean, people actually make fun of Chouji-san because of his size?" the new ninja asked seriously.

Shikamaru nodded. "Not much anymore, but they did when we were younger."

Blue eyes flicked to the Akimichi teen, and Naruto snorted a little. "That is so stupid," he muttered. "He's not different. Not different at all. Not really..." He trailed off and Shikamaru silently reevaluated the blonde. It seemed Naruto wasn't as clueless as he'd thought.

And then Naruto grinned and his seriousness was gone. "Don't worry about me, Shikamaru-san. I wouldn't do anything like that." He cocked his head at his companion. "You said Chouji-san eats a lot of ramen, ne? Well, I do too. Think I should challenge him to a contest?"

And before the surprised Nara could reply, Naruto was running after the rest of the team. "Hey, hey, Chouji-san! I hear you eat a lot of ramen..."

Asuma quickly shot down the idea of a contest, since he was paying, and Naruto relented. However, he promised to challenge Chouji the next time they went to Ichiraku's. And never once had the larger teen been offended. How could he be? It was obvious Naruto wasn't trying to insult him.

The blonde was just so earnest, so damn _friendly_. Shikamaru couldn't help but like him, despite the fact that he was the most troublesome person the Nara had met in a while. Which was why, on the third day of training, he invited Naruto to his and Ino's sixteenth birthday party. Ino was mad at him when she found out, but Shikamaru ignored it because she was being ridiculous. Honestly, what was it about blondes that made them so troublesome?

The celebration was being held at one of the restaurants in the village, but not the BBQ place Team Asuma frequented. Shikamaru didn't care where they went, so Ino picked the spot, insisting they do something different. But despite her enthusiasm for parties, especially those held in her honor, the blonde kunoichi left early, leading Shikamaru to think she was _still _somewhat angry about Naruto being there. Her attitude was a complete drag, but if she wanted to go sulk instead of having fun, it was none of his concern. Actually, he was thinking about leaving too. He'd spoken with his comrades, made sure everyone was still alive and well; what else did he need to stick around for?

He scanned the crowd a final time, making sure he had indeed seen and talked to everyone, however briefly. His eyes stopped on the new ninja, who stood by the windows that faced the street, silently staring out. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed a little. Naruto had spent most of the evening mingling with Kiba, who introduced him to anyone he didn't know and loudly traded joking insults with the blonde.

But the Inuzuka wasn't around at the moment, and Naruto seemed quite intent on whatever had caught his eye outside. This behavior interested Shikamaru, despite his nature, so the Nara teen shoved his hands in his pockets and strolled over.

He didn't notice when a certain Hyuuga heiress hesitantly approached the blonde too, only to retreat into the crowd when she saw the ponytailed chuunin coming.

"Hey, Naruto-san," Shikamaru greeted.

The blonde didn't seem to hear him.

He sighed and poked his fellow chuunin in the shoulder.

"Huh?" Naruto started and faced him. "Oh, sorry Shikamaru-san." He pushed his hair away from his eyes, although, with no hitai ite to hold it back, the gold locks fell right in his face again. "Did you say something?"

"What are you looking at?"

"Uhhh...nothing, really," the blonde grinned. Shikamaru didn't believe him, but before he could say anything, Naruto continued. "So, enjoying the party, birthday boy?"

The Nara narrowed his eyes a little. _Another distraction._ But he still shrugged and answered. "I guess. Parties aren't really my thing."

Naruto laughed. "No, I guess not." His smile faltered a little and he glanced back out the window, rubbing at his temple.

Shikamaru lifted an eyebrow. "Are you ok?"

"Huh?" Naruto faced him again. "Oh, yeah! Sure." He waved a hand dismissively and grinned. "Ne, Shika-san, Kiba told me that back in the Acdemy, you guys...used to..." he trailed off, his lively expression disappearing and his eyes becoming unfocused.

Shikamaru frowned. It looked like Naruto was suddenly a million miles away. "Naruto-san." No response. "Oy, Naruto-san!" Nothing. "Geez..." He rolled his eyes. Why was the blonde so distracted?

Suddenly, Naruto stiffened and his head whipped around to stare out the window again. He growled, a low, menacing sound that made the hair on the back of Shikamaru's neck stand up. "Naruto-san, what--"

At the sound of his voice, the blonde shifted his gaze back to the Nara and the ponytailed teen found that his vocal cords no longer seemed to work.

Naruto's mouth was pulled into a snarl, the sheer amount of anger on his face astounding and somewhat frightening. And his eyes...

"Gomen, Shikamaru-san," the blonde said, dropping his head so his hair partially obscured his face and completely hid his eyes. His voice was deceptively blank and Shikamaru suppressed a shudder. "Please excuse me." And the new chuunin brushed past him, heading for the door of the restaurant.

Shikamaru stood rooted to the spot, staring after Naruto. _What the fuck!_

When his eyes had met Naruto's, he could have sworn he'd seen red mixed in with the blue. _Like drops of blood in a pool._

And for one split second, he'd felt...kami, he'd felt..._(__can't breathe, can't move,_ _run!run!run!)_...utterly terrified.

He didn't see worried pale eyes and a pair of tinted lenses glance at each other in the shadows.

* * *

Ino smirked from her perch across from the restaurant. When Shikamaru had invited Naruto to their joint party, she'd been angry. But she'd quickly realized it was her perfect opportunity.

She had decided not to ask her father about mental shields, choosing instead to look for information on her own. Her dad would want to know the reason behind her interest in the subject and she didn't really want to tell him. Nor could she lie. Yamanaka Inoichi was an interrogation specialist, after all, trained to pick up every facial tic and nuance of tone that betrayed a person's true thoughts.

She'd found some interesting things without her father's help, anyway. Mental shields did indeed exist, and they came in several varieties. It would take her a lot more time and energy to figure out exactly what sort of shield Naruto had, but it didn't really matter for her purposes. All the shields had something in common--they were weakest when the subject was relaxed. So, trying to crack them would be useless during training, when Naruto was alert and his guard was up. They would be easiest to bypass when he was asleep, but she didn't know where he was staying and her father would kill her if he caught her sneaking out at night. The next best thing would be when Naruto was awake, but at ease and unsuspecting. At a party, for example.

Which was why the Yamanaka teen had invented an excuse to leave the gathering early and was crouched on top of a roof. The big windows of the restaurant afforded her a good view of the inside, so it wouldn't be hard to spot her target. If she couldn't get a direct line-of-sight to him while he was inside, she'd wait until he left. Shika wasn't a big partier, so, without her there, things would most likely be winding down soon. She sighed. It had been a fun party too...

_I could go back. I shouldn't be doing this anyway._

She bit her lip. Thoughts like that had been popping up more frequently the longer she sat on the roof. She'd made any number of excuses to justify her actions to herself--_it was just like a training session; it was for the good of the team_--but those reasons sounded flimsy now that she was actually carrying out her plan. It was harder to convince herself that the butterflies in her stomach were caused by apprehension about performing the jutsu correctly, instead of disquiet over doing something she knew to be wrong.

_I'll get in a lot of trouble if I'm caught...I won't get caught! I don't have to do this...But I've worked so hard! I could go...I can't let him beat me!_

A flash of orange caught her attention and she straightened. Naruto had walked up to the window and seemed to be looking for something, a confused look on his face. But then Shikamaru appeared next to him and the blonde turned away, chatting with her teammate. This was her chance. If she was going to to do this, she had to do it now. After one more second of hesitation, she made her choice.

Ino formed the hand seal and whispered the name of the jutsu.

Her eyes closed as her mind brushed against his shields. This was a mind reading technique, not a mind transfer, so her consciousness didn't actually leave her body. Instead, it reached out to touch his, the same way she would reach out to touch his shoulder with her hand.

She took a breath and slowly, cautiously, looked for a way through. It was like feeling for the cracks of a hidden door, only with her mind instead of her fingertips. Any break in the wall, no matter how small, would give her the opportunity she needed. She started to tremble; she had to find a way in soon or she wouldn't be able to hold the jutsu.

Naruto laughed and suddenly, just in front of her, she felt a gap. She slipped inside before it vanished.

Ha! Her doubts were momentarily washed away by her triumph. She was in.

* * *

Ino stood in a hallway, up to her ankles in still, dirty water. She could hear the steady _plink plink _of more water dripping somewhere. The walls seemed to be metal, or very smooth stone of some sort. Bundles of pipes ran across the ceiling and along the walls. The dim red glow that illuminated the corridor flickered, like a flame, but she could see no fire, or any light source for that matter. And it was _hot. _Kami, it was like a damn furnace. Despite the heat, she shivered a little. Naruto's mindscape was...disturbingly dark.

_I'm not supposed to be here. I should go. _

Ino once again ignored the feelings of guilt and unease that welled up in her. She _would_ go, soon. She just wanted to...look around a little more.

She glanced up and down the hallway. The strange light faded away a few yards in front of and behind her, leaving the rest of the corridor in total darkness. She frowned. There should be doors that led to different sections of his mind, but she could see nothing like that from her current position. Well, it didn't matter which way she went, as concepts like 'direction' didn't exactly exist in the mindscape. She started to walk forward.

As soon as she moved, she noticed the water was...thick. Almost viscous. She wrinkled her nose. It smelled too, a sharp, metallic odor that seemed to coat her tongue and the back of her throat. It smelled like...

She stiffened, as a drop of water from the ceiling hit her cheek. She automatically reached her hand up to wipe it off. Her fingertips came away smeared with red.

She stared for a moment, horrified, before pressing her other hand to her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

She thought it was water. Dirty water, to be sure--polluted enough that it was black and opaque--but water nonetheless.

But it wasn't water at all.

The liquid she was standing in, that she could feel soaking her sandals and squishing between her toes, that was dripping from the ceiling, was blood. _Blood._

_Oh kami_...

Why had she ever come here?

Another drop hit her face and she stumbled backwards, wanting only to get away. But she froze when she ran into something solid--_where had that come from?!_-- and strong hands wrapped around her arms.

She thought she had been afraid before, but that was nothing.

She wasn't alone in the corridor anymore. Naruto was standing behind her. And he was angry. Very, _very_ angry.

The strong hands squeezed and his claws dug into her skin.

..._Claws?!_

This time, she did scream.

* * *

Author's Note

_Whew! A doozy of a chapter, isn't it? I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. The next chapter is even more fun (for me, anyways). Be prepared for some angst and some serious father/son time. _

_A word on jutsu: I think everyone has figured out by now that I use the Japanese for jutsu that are named in the manga/anime. If it's something I feel most everyone knows the translation for (e.g. kage bunshin), I won't give the English name. If it's something less common (like the jutsu I mentioned in this chapter), I will. If it's something I made up, or don't know the name for, I just describe it. I don't want to make up a bunch of names and then try to translate them into Japanese and then have to list them all in English in the end anyway. _

_So, even though I'm sure you all figured out what jutsus I was referring to in this chapter, here is a short list: _

_Goukakyuu--Great Fireball_

_Nikudan Sensha--Human Bullet Tank_

_Shintenshin--Mind-Body Switch_


	11. Dream

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 11

_**Dream**_

Minato was enjoying his dinner with his teacher and his student. Naruto was at the party for Shikamaru and Ino, so tonight was the perfect time for the three of them to go out. They had finished eating and were now sharing a bottle of sake and just talking. Kakashi had let the disinterested mask slip a little and was smiling and joking with the two older men. Jiraiya was regaling them with stories of his travels, mostly involving his 'research.' Minato chuckled. Honestly, the man was incorrigible. They were relaxed, at ease--as much as ninja of their caliber ever were, anyway.

Which is why it came as a shock when he felt Naruto's youki shiver across his skin, followed by a wave of anger and fear.

He froze, sake halfway to his mouth, his gaze drawn to the window beside their booth. His son was in that direction. And something was very wrong.

"Minato?" Jiraiya's voice distracted him and he glanced at the Toad Sage, seated across the table. He was looking at his student with concern. He hadn't felt what Minato had.

The Yondaime's gaze flicked to Kakashi. His eyelid was half-closed, as usual, but the gray eye beneath it was sharp, alert.

"Follow me," the Hokage commanded and slid open the window. In an instant, all three man vanished from the booth in a blur.

* * *

It didn't take them long to reach their destination--the restaurant where the birthday celebration for the two members of Team Asuma was being held. Minato landed on the roof of the building next to the eatery, Jiraiya and Kakashi just behind him. He signaled with one hand; his ANBU guard would set up a perimeter around their position. He scanned the area. Nothing seemed out of place; people walked in the streets laughing and talking, entering and exiting the restaurants, bars, and what few shops were still open. Simply going about their evening business. Except…

His gaze was drawn to the bright colors that made up Naruto--gold hair and bright orange shirt with royal blue sleeves. His son was standing in the middle of the street, oblivious to the people passing by around him. From their position, Minato couldn't really see his face, but he could see how tightly his fists were clenched and how he was trembling a little. Judging by the angle of his head, he was staring at the roof of the building opposite. The Hokage followed his son's gaze and saw Ino, half-hidden behind a sign. What the hell was she--

_Damn it!_

He'd been concerned about Ino using a clan technique on his son before the younger blonde had started training with Team Asuma, but Naruto assured him that such jutsus didn't work on him. Or at least, jutsus that were performed by someone at Ino's level didn't work. He wasn't sure about someone with more experience; Inoichi, for example. But, at any rate, both Asuma and Naruto had reported that the Shintenshin failed, just as Naruto predicted. The Yondaime had been relieved and hadn't thought much more about it. He suspected Ino wouldn't be too happy--she was very proud of her clan techniques and her own abilities to use them--but it never hurt a ninja to be knocked down a few pegs. Too much pride would only get you killed. Hopefully she'd learn from the experience and push herself to become better, both with her clan jutsus and other techniques.

That she would react _this_ badly had never crossed his mind. If she did what he thought she did…

Fear and anger flared through him; his own this time. Afraid because of what she might have seen in his son's mind and angry that she'd ambushed him in such a way.

With a gesture to the two ninja behind him, he leapt to the opposite side of the street, then to the roof where Ino sat. The three appeared behind her, arrayed in a semi-circle. She was crouched down behind the low wall that rimmed the roof, one hand gripping the metal sign support so tightly her knuckles were white, the other pressed against her mouth. She was shaking like a leaf and tears streamed down her face. Her gaze was fixed on Naruto and she gave no indication she was aware of their presence.

Minato frowned. This was not good. Whatever she'd seen had scared her badly.

His gaze flicked to Naruto and his eyes widened a little. His son was staring at the kunoichi with a frightening intensity. His face was blank, but his eyes were fairly _swimming_ with anger. No, wait…Minato squinted, trying to see better. There was something wrong with his eyes...damn it! If only he was closer...

And suddenly, he could see his son's face perfectly, as though he was standing right next to him instead of up on a roof. He blinked and his vision returned to normal. But his mind barely registered the odd change in perception before it was pushed aside for more pressing concerns. Like the fact that Naruto's eyes weren't figuratively swimming, but literally. They were moving in that uncanny way they had during Naruto's test, just before he lost control.

This was really _really_ not good.

"Kakashi," he barked. "Take her to my office."

The silver-haired ninja moved instantly to comply, sliding in front of Ino and firmly prying her hand off the sign support. Her eyes shifted dazedly to his face as the Copy Ninja pulled her to her feet and away from the edge of the roof.

Minato stopped paying them attention--Kakashi could handle the girl--and focused entirely on his son. The young ninja hadn't budged or moved his gaze from the spot Ino had been, although Minato was sure he was aware of their presence.

Jiraiya leaned towards his first student. "You can calm him down. He'll listen to you," the older man said in his ear.

Minato nodded. He wanted Kakashi and Ino gone first. If the reason for his son's anger was removed, it should be easier to pacify him. And if it didn't work…well, he didn't want Naruto doing something he'd regret later.

But someone else reached Naruto first.

Hyuuga Hinata walked up beside his son and called his name. Minato had been so intent on the younger blonde, he hadn't noticed her coming out of the restaurant. Naruto hadn't either, because he started violently and faced the heiress, blinking at her. Minato sucked in his breath. If she saw his eyes…very little escaped the notice of a Hyuuga.

But nothing seemed to happen. She asked if he was alright. Minato couldn't hear the words from this distance, but he could read her lips, even with the stutter. Naruto grinned and nodded, one hand scratching at the back of his head. He mumbled some excuse about getting fresh air and assured her he'd be back in a minute. He gestured towards the restaurant and the dark-haired girl nodded and headed inside again.

Naruto turned back around and slumped a little, one hand rubbing at his temple. So he missed how Hinata looked back at him from the doorway, concerned gaze resting on his figure for a long moment before it flicked up to the rooftop where Minato and Jiraiya now stood alone.

But Minato didn't miss it. He smiled slightly at the heiress when her white eyes rested on him. She flushed a little and disappeared through the door. His smile widened. That girl was a lot quicker than Hiashi gave her credit for.

But his smile fell away as he jumped down from the roof to stand in front of his son, replaced with a look of concern.

The younger blonde didn't look at him. Instead, he bowed low. "Gomen nasai, Hokage-sama."

Minato pulled him out of the bow with a hand on his shoulder. "You are not the one that needs to apologize, I think."

"B-But I almost--"

"But you didn't." Naruto bit his lip, still unsure. "Now, what happened?"

His son sighed. "Ino-san said she wasn't feeling well, so she was going to go back home. She left and a little while later, I thought I...sensed her." He paused, making sure his father understood what he meant. Minato nodded and he continued. "But I wasn't sure, it was hard to tell with...everyone else around." He gestured around him and Minato nodded again. He could see how it would be hard to pick out one heartbeat among so many. "Anyway, I went to the window to look for her, 'cause I thought she'd gone home, right? But then Shika-san started talking to me, so I got kind of distracted, and then I felt her…in my head." Naruto paused for breath and rubbed his temple again. "She tried some clan jutsu on me. Not mind possession, I think, but something else. I got so angry..."

Minato's eyes narrowed. "Did it work?"

Naruto nodded slowly. "Aa. As soon as I realized what was happening, I pushed her out, but…" his voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't know what she saw."

The Hokage squeezed his son's shoulder reassuringly. "I'll find out, and we'll deal with it, hmmm?"

Naruto nodded hesitantly.

"Ok. Are you alright?" Naruto nodded again. "Good. Go enjoy the rest of the party. Come to my office when you get back to the Tower, but there's no need to rush."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Naruto bowed again and retreated back to the restaurant.

Minato sighed and rubbed his eyes. He turned back to gaze at the roof. His sensei was still standing there, watching him. He waved to the big man and they both blurred out of sight.

* * *

Minato stared at the girl standing in front of him, keeping his face perfectly blank despite the anger roiling around under the surface. They were alone in the room; he had sent Kakashi to pay their bill at the restaurant and Jiraiya to get Inoichi, Ino's father. His surrogate family members really had no reason to be there; this was a matter between him and one of his ninja. It was Hokage business, and they understood that. He'd tell them the gist of what happened, anyway.

Sharp blue eyes examined Ino closely. The kunoichi had regained some semblance of composure. She was no longer crying, although her eyes were still red and puffy, and she was only slightly trembling. Of course, the chill from the open window might have something to do with that too, since her purple halter top, short skirt, and mesh elbow and knee guards left quite a bit of bare skin. Her gaze was on the floor, platinum blonde bangs obscuring the right half of her face and ponytail falling forward over her shoulder. She stood with her hands clasped in front of her and her shoulders hunched. She hadn't looked him in the face since he arrived at his office through the window. She looked scared and guilty. Good.

"Yamanaka-san," he said finally. His voice was quiet, but deathly cold. "Explain yourself."

* * *

Ino cringed at the Yondaime's tone. He had to be furious with her, but it didn't show. He stood in front of his desk, arms crossed, face blank, eyes hard and cold as ice. He was unyielding, implacable. There was no trace of the village leader she had grown up with, grown used to.

Her earliest memories of the Hokage were of a kind, warm man with a nice smile and an infectious laugh. Everyone wanted 'Yondy-sama' to push their swing or play hide-and-seek or red rover (_never_ tag) with them. A man who encouraged them to do their best on the first day of the Academy and smiled proudly when they graduated. A man who listened with a grave face, but accepting and sympathetic eyes, when they explained the way a mission had gone wrong. A man who would chide them for their wrongdoings_--_whether it was getting into a fight on the playground, skipping class, or making a stupid mistake that put their teammates in danger--but who always, _always, _forgave them with a gentle smile.

But there would be no such smile this time. The Hokage in front of her may have been carved of marble for all the emotion he was showing. He was completely closed off, which she had never seen before. It was as if...

As if he was facing an _enemy_.

The thought made her feel ill. She had betrayed the trust of a fellow ninja, and in doing so, betrayed the Yondaime's trust. And because the Hokage represented the village, she'd betrayed Konoha's trust too. The village she had sworn to protect. She was no better than a traitor, and the Hokage was treating her as such. She'd never felt so ashamed in her entire life.

She bowed low. "G-Gomen n-nasai, Hokage-sama. I-I…" she trailed off, unable to continue, her guilt clogging her throat, making it hard to breathe.

"Did you or did you not attack a fellow Leaf nin without provocation?" His voice was still quiet, still cold.

She shrunk in a little on herself. That was exactly what she'd done. "H-Hai." Such an act was considered treasonous and, depending on the situation and severity of the attack, could be punishable by death.

"And what reason could you possibly have for doing such a thing?"

"I-I…" she stammered. "I have no excuse, Hokage-sama."

"I know that," he said sharply. "I didn't ask for an excuse. I asked for a _reason_."

Her face crumpled and she felt like she might burst into tears again. The reasons she had given herself flashed in her head, but they were all lies and she knew it. If she had truly wanted to improve herself and help her team, she would have spoken to Naruto directly. She would have swallowed her foolish pride and asked for his permission before she tried anything. If she gave any of those excuses now, they would taste like ash in her mouth and only make the Hokage angrier. She had no choice but to tell the truth; to him and to herself. So she took a few deep, shuddering breaths, forced back the prickly heat behind her eyes, and answered.

"I was angry at him."

"Why?"

"He...he wounded my pride."

"Because he beat you."

She nodded.

"You will learn, Yamanaka-san, hopefully before you make a fatal mistake, that there are any number of ninja in this world that can beat you. You cannot throw a tantrum like a spoiled, selfish brat every time that happens."

She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. "H-Hai, Hokage-sama."

He said nothing for a long moment. "What did you see?"

She shuddered and looked down, but began to tell him.

_Dark and dank and hot, so hot. _

His face remained impassive, even when she described all the blood.

_Wading in a sea of red._

"I was going to leave right then. I _was_," Ino said, looking up, her expression pleading with the Hokage to believe her. He gave no indication of his thoughts, one way or the other, and she bit her lip. "But then..." she trailed off.

"Then?" he prompted.

_A_ _redburningclawingscreaming feeling._

"Naruto-san came," she whispered. She looked at a point somewhere on his desk, but didn't really see it. She could think of no words to adequately describe how everything changed in an instant, when she'd realized she wasn't alone anymore.

_Choking, smothering, terrifying._

"He was so angry." She shuddered and rubbed her arms. That was the understatement of the year.

_An animalistic growl that came from everywhere and nowhere. The strange red light flickering madly. The blood bubbling and churning. A desperate scream. Her own. _

"He had claws."

And finally, the Yondaime reacted. He blinked. "What?"

"He was behind me, and he wrapped his hands around my arms, and _he had claws_." She was trembling again and her breaths were coming a little faster and a little shallower than before as her body remembered the mind-numbing panic she'd felt. She wondered if that was how rabbits felt when they were caught by wolves.

_Runrunrun!_

The Hokage narrowed his eyes a little, and some emotion flashed in them but it was gone before she could identify it. Did he not believe her? But all he said was, "What else?"

"_...Get out..." A low, menacing growl and hot breath on her ear._

"He told me to leave," she whispered.

_A burning pain on her back, between her shoulder blades, which was odd...wasn't he still gripping her arms?_

"And then he shoved me away."

_The corridor rushing past as she was propelled forward into darkness._

"I went flying through the air, and I couldn't see what was in front of me, so I turned my head and put up my arms..." She mimicked the motion, a purely instinctual reaction.

_A flash, a glimpse out of the corner of her eye. Writhing orange and searing red and twisting dark shadows. _

"I saw...I saw _him, _surrounded by four orange...flames, I think, and..." She shuddered again.

"And what, Yamanaka-san?" the Hokage asked.

_Scorching, piercing, feral, alien. She trembled even as she burned. _

"He had red eyes."It sounded so mundane and she shook her head a little. Such limited words could never possibly express what she had seen.

"I couldn't..." _Look anymore. Stand those eyes on me. _"I shut my eyes and when I opened them again, I was back in my body," she finished quietly.

The Hokage said nothing, simply looked at her, expression inscrutable. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her heart. The fear had returned with the retelling, though it was a pale shadow of what it had been when she was in Naruto's mind.

The silence stretched on.

"What do you think of what you saw?"

The question startled her a little; she had expected the Yondaime to berate her and dole out punishment, not ask her opinion on...well...anything.

"Um...Naruto-san's mindscape is very...dark." She bit her lip. "A person's mindscape is influenced by their life experiences," she continued. "Most ninjas' minds are dark places, and it tends to get worse as they get older. But Naruto-san is only my age. For his to be like that means...means..." She looked down, feeling even worse about what she had done.

"Means he must have had some bad experiences, at a young age," the Hokage supplied.

Ino nodded. "And his avatar, his image of himself in his mind...it's influenced by the way he feels about himself. And what I saw...he thinks of himself as some sort of...of... monster." Because she was looking down, she didn't see the way the Hokage's eyes narrowed or his shoulders stiffened ever so slightly. "Maybe because of whatever happened in his past. And that's just...I didn't know he felt that way...I just...I was so stupid!"

Silence again.

"Well, it seems you are truly sorry for what you did."

The blonde kunoichi dared to look up and nodded vehemently.

"That is good." The Yondaime paused. "Of course, you will still be punished."

She nodded, much less forcefully this time. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

"The first thing you will do is apologize to Naruto-kun."

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

He lifted an eyebrow at her. "Well, there is no time like the present." He turned his gaze to the door, ignoring her startled expression. "Come in, Naruto-kun!" he called.

The door opened and shut. Quiet footsteps rang thunderously in her ears until they came to a halt off to her right. And she still couldn't turn and look at the person who'd entered the office.

"Yamanaka-san. I believe you have something to say?" The Hokage's voice hadn't lost the cold tone, but his eyes softened when he looked at the new arrival and he let a small, reassuring smile tug at his lips.

"H-Hai." She took a deep breath and turned, lowering her gaze to the floor. She took another breath and got down on her knees, hands pressed to the worn wood and head bowed. "G-Gomen nasai, Naruto-san," she said. "I know my actions were very wrong, but I hope you can forgive me."

There was silence for a moment. "I forgive you, Ino-san," the other blonde teen said quietly. Naruto's sandal-clad feet moved forward and he reached down to grasp her arms. The rational part of her brain knew he only meant to reassure her and help her to her feet, but the instinctual part remembered only claws and crimson eyes. The fear flared in her belly and she flinched at his touch. He snatched his hands away as though burned and stumbled back a few steps.

"I-I'm sorry--," she began a little desperately, inwardly berating her inability to control her stupid reaction. It's not like Naruto _actually _had claws, or red eyes. She looked up, almost needing to see the sky blue irises, but Naruto's eyes were downcast, hidden behind his bangs.

"It's ok, Ino-san," he interrupted her, shoving his hands in his pants pockets. "I understand. My mind is a pretty scary place, ne?" He gave a little half-smile that made her feel even more guilty.

"Naruto..." the Hokage said, his voice tender. The younger blonde turned at the sound of his name, his gaze flicking up briefly to the village leader before dropping back down. Ino felt like she had missed something. But the thought left her mind as the Hokage turned his eyes back to her.

His stare was just as frigid as before and his voice was cold and sharp again. "Get up."

She complied, slowly coming to her feet. Any softening of his demeanor was for Naruto alone, not her.

"There is more to your punishment than a simple apology, Yamanaka-san."

She nodded; she knew that wouldn't be it.

The Hokage's gaze shifted to the door again. "Inoichi-san!" he called.

She stiffened as the door opened and shut once again and her father came to stand to her left. She didn't, _couldn't,_ look at him either.

The Hokage nodded to the Yamanaka clan head. "I trust Jiraiya told you why I called you here?"

Her father nodded. "Hai, Hokage-sama." His voice was clipped and bland. He must be just as furious and disappointed as the village leader, but, like the Hokage, he wasn't showing it. At least, not here. Ino had no doubt that once they got home, she'd find out exactly how angry he was.

The Hokage said nothing in reply, merely extended a hand to the other man. With no pause or hesitation, Inoichi placed something in his palm.

Her hitai ite.

The Yondaime brought it close to him, studying the polished metal, before he looked at her again. "Do you think you deserve to wear this, Yamanaka-san?" His eyes were piercing, icy shards that froze her where she stood.

"No, Hokage-sama," she said, quietly.

"Good. I don't either." He closed his fist around the headband and she fought the urge to throw up. "A ninja must always be on guard. But the one place where any ninja should be able to relax, if only a little, is their home. And why is that, Yamanaka-san?"

"Because it's safe," she replied in a small voice.

"Aa. And why is it safe?"

She thought a minute. "Because it's protected."

"By whom?"

"The other shinobi."

"That is correct, Yamanaka-san. When a ninja is home, he or she should be able to trust that their comrades are watching out for the village and their peers. You have broken that faith tonight. So I will be keeping this until such time as you prove trustworthy again." He paused. "Yamanaka Ino, you are suspended from active duty indefinitely."

The words were like death knells in her ears. It felt like her whole world was crumbling, and it was. Being a ninja was not just a job, but a way of life.

And the Hokage was not done. "That will give you plenty of time to complete the task I have for you. You are to help Naruto-kun settle into a permanent residence. He plans on looking for a place tomorrow, so I expect you to be here, in my office, ready to assist him, at ten. Do I make myself clear?" At her nod, he continued. "I leave it up to you to explain to your team why they will be a member short. Dismissed."

And with another nod to her father, he turned away, walking around his desk to gaze out the windows at Konoha.

Her trembling returned full force and she thought she might fall over. She could only stare at the Hokage's back, eyes tracing the kanji on his coat over and over.

Her father's hand on her shoulder startled her and she glanced at him, then quickly looked away. She still couldn't look him in the face. "Come on, Ino," he said, his voice hard, but his touch soft, and she bit her lip so she wouldn't cry. She knew he was upset with her, but he was still trying to comfort her. She didn't deserve it.

She nodded and gave a shaky bow to the Yondaime's back.

As she turned to go, her gaze finally met Naruto's and a sob rose in her throat. He wasn't looking at her with anger or fear or any other emotion she expected. Despite everything, his eyes held nothing but compassion.

"I'll see you in the morning, ne, Ino-san?" he said and he smiled. And, oh kami, it was _just like _the smile she remembered on the Hokage's face when she was little--the warm expression that said all was forgiven and everything would be ok.

She couldn't stop the tears this time. She could only nod as they streamed down her face. Gentle pressure from her father's hand on her back guided her away from her fellow blonde, towards the door. She didn't resist, but she couldn't get the image of that smile out of her head as she left.

* * *

Minato sighed as the door closed behind the two Yamanakas, and he glanced down at the hitai ite in his hand. He rubbed his eyes with his other hand and turned back around to find Naruto watching him. He gave a small smile. "She did--" he began, but was interrupted by the door opening again.

Jiraiya entered and stood in the center of the room next to Naruto, arms crossed over his chest. "Well?" he questioned.

Minato sighed again and dropped into his chair, leaning back into the soft cushions. He held up the hitai ite and then placed it on his desk.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at him. "You suspended her?"

"Aa," Minato replied. "Indefinitely."

The eyebrow went higher, but the Toad Sage didn't say anything.

The Hokage shifted his gaze to Naruto. "She didn't see anything too damaging," he said, finishing what he started to say before Jiraiya interrupted.

His son's shoulders slumped in relief and he smiled. "That's good."

Minato nodded. He was relieved, too, but also concerned. His son's mind sounded like an unpleasant place, and he didn't like that at all. He'd wanted to cringe when Ino had described all the blood. And the way Naruto had looked...

"She said you had claws and red eyes," Naruto stiffened again, and his eyes went wide, "but she doesn't think you have those traits in reality. She thinks they are a reflection of how you feel about yourself."

Naruto blinked at him and relaxed again. He rubbed the back of his head. "Okay." He sounded confused.

Minato sighed inwardly. He wanted to hold his son, apologize for the way Ino had reacted to him, apologize for not being there to protect him from whatever had happened when he was young. It didn't matter that he didn't know Naruto existed; he still felt responsible. But what use were such words now? Would his son even understand them?

"Naruto, come here."

His son obeyed instantly and the Yondaime leaned forward, reaching up to lay a hand on his shoulder. "Some time, when you're ready, I want to know about the things that made your mindscape so dark, musuko."

Naruto blinked at him again, but nodded. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

Minato smiled a little. That would have to do for now. "You're dismissed. Go get some sleep."

Naruto nodded again and with a bow and a cheery "Night, Ero-sennin!", he left.

Minato rubbed his eyes and began searching drawers for the appropriate paperwork to suspend a ninja.

"Dark mindscape?" Jiraiya questioned, moving to sit on the edge of the desk.

"Aa." The blonde gave a small crow of triumph as he pulled out a piece of paper. He set it down and began to write. "Ino said it looks like a dim corridor..."

* * *

Minato ran through a forest. It seemed like the forest of Konoha, but it was darker, more threatening somehow. A strange sort of half-light filtered through the trees, illuminating some spots and leaving others in shadows. He was running as fast as he could, but it felt like he wasn't getting anywhere. He had to go home. But he didn't know where 'home' was.

A figure appeared in a patch of light in front of him. Long red hair and burning gray eyes, fixed on him. _Kushina…_

She was so beautiful, dressed in a white kimono with red flames licking at the hem and sleeves. He got closer and realized the flames weren't just a decoration, but were real, burning without seeming to consume. He, strangely, felt no panic or fear at the sight. It seemed…natural somehow. He opened his mouth to call out her name.

"Okaa-sama!"

…_What?!_ Of all the things he had ever called his lover, 'mother' was most definitely _not_ one of them.

"Your home is not with me, Naruto," she said, and she turned and walked away, disappearing in the darkness between the trees.

_Naruto?_ And it hit him. This was his son's dream. He was experiencing it through their connection.

He/his son stood trembling, gazing after Kushina. He desperately wanted her to come back; it hurt so badly to know she had turned her back on him, had left him again…

Minato wasn't sure if it was his son's pain or his own he was feeling. Probably both.

He stood watching the spot a little longer, but then turned abruptly away and began to run again. As much as it hurt, she was right. She was not his home. He had to find his home!

Another figure appeared, this one tall and white-haired.

"Jiraiya-sensei!"

"I can show you your home," he said, smiling.

He felt happiness, relief, hope.

The Toad Sage turned and began running. He eagerly followed.

Sometimes the big man would disappear amongst the trees ahead and he would start to panic. "No, wait up, Sensei!"

Jiraiya would laugh, a little cruelly Minato thought, and reply, "If you can't keep up, you'll never find your home."

And he would try to run faster, but no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't catch up to the Sannin.

Finally, though, two huge green gates came into view, much bigger than they were in real life. But he was happy, because he _knew _this was his home. Konoha.

A crowd of people seemed to be waiting for him. All the ninja his son had met so far were arrayed in front of the gate, and, right out in front, Minato himself stood, Jiraiya on his right and Kakashi on his left. They were smiling at him.

He felt so happy, knowing he was home. "Otou-sama!"

Minato found it odd, calling himself father, but the sensation passed quickly as his dream self frowned.

Suddenly, everyone else was frowning too.

"How dare you call me that?" the dream Minato asked, face like a thundercloud and voice angry.

Confusion, fear. "B-but-"

"You're no son of mine." Minato wanted to shudder as his own face contorted into a dreadful, mocking sneer. "As if I would ever claim a _monster_."

Everything seemed to stop and he felt pain, nothing but pain.

Minato cried out to his son. _NO! I'd never say that!_ But he knew it wouldn't do any good. He had to be touching Naruto for his son to hear his thoughts.

"W-What…?"

Ino--_damn bitch!_--spoke up. "Don't deny it! I saw you! Monster!"

And the other ninja all echoed the sentiment. "Bakemono!" "Monster!" "Demon!" "Beast!"

And Minato suddenly felt a burning rush, as if a fire had started inside and was quickly consuming him. It hurt, but somehow it felt good too.

Horror. "No, no!" He lifted his hands and saw he had claws. And he knew without thinking that his whiskers were dark and his fangs had grown and his eyes were red. "NO!"

He was becoming the monster they thought him to be before their very eyes. He tried to repress the feeling, to return to his normal appearance, but it wouldn't go. He couldn't change back.

And now they were laughing. Mocking, derisive, shrieks of laughter that cut him to the quick.

His eyes found Sasuke and he reached out a hand. "Please…"

But the Uchiha turned away. "Don't speak to me."

"I-I thought you'd understand…"

He sniffed. "Why would I? I'm still human, unlike _you_." Scorn fairly dripped from Sasuke's cold voice.

He shrank back and covered his ears. "Stop, please stop!"

But they didn't. The laughter and the shouts continued, even when he looked up and saw that all the other ninja were gone and it was just the dream Minato staring down at him. With a kunai in his hand.

Fear, despair, _pain_.

_Wake up! Naruto! _Minato thought desperately, even though his son couldn't hear him.

His dream self didn't look angry anymore. He didn't look like anything. There was no expression on his face. He was dreadfully blank, indifferent. As if what he was about to do didn't matter to him at all. "You're a mistake."

He cringed and tried to back away, but found he couldn't move. The kunai came up. "One I intend to rectify." And plunged down.

* * *

Minato's eyes flew open and he sat bolt upright in his bed, breathing hard, his heart pounding wildly.

_Naruto!_

Without really thinking about it, almost instinctively, he disappeared, leaving his covers to fall softly into the space where he had been a moment before.

He reappeared, barefoot, bare-chested, on the balcony of his son's room. The screen was half-open and he slid it the rest of the way, eyes quickly assessing the situation.

Naruto lay on his futon, thrashing wildly, covers long since thrown off. He was crying and whimpering. "Stop, please, stop…"

Minato thought his heart might break. His son was dreaming that Minato was murdering him. He had to _do something_. He dropped down on his knees next to his son, avoiding the flailing limbs, and shook him sharply by the shoulders. "Naruto! Wake up!"

His son's eyes snapped open, wild and terrified. "NOOOOO!" he screamed and tried to push Minato away. The older man easily caught his son's wrists, gripping them tightly as Naruto struggled. He did his best to ignore the wave of abject fear, despair, and pain that flooded his mind, instead concentrating on calm feelings. It would do no good for him to feed his son's emotions back to him.

"Naruto," he said, "it was a dream. Just a dream. It's ok, now. You're safe. It's ok." He kept repeating soothing words as he leaned over his son, using his own weight to keep his son's arms pinned against his chest.

Naruto's struggles ceased and his eyes lost the wild look. He blinked a few times, breathing ragged but not as fast. "Otou-" he started, but stopped, a wave of irrational fear and panic racing through him.

Minato did his best to not cry and simply smiled. "Aa, musuko. I'm here. It's alright."

The feelings disappeared, replaced by a relief so profound it was almost painful, and Naruto smiled weakly back. Minato released his hold on his son and the teen sat up, slowly, still shaking a little. "H-How did you know…?" he asked, rubbing at his face.

"I dreamed it, too," Minato replied simply.

Naruto's eyes widened a little. He scrambled onto his knees and bowed low. "F-Forgive me, Hokage-sama," he said. "I did not mean to disturb your sleep. I am fine now. There is no need for you to remain here, if you wish to return to your bed."

Minato's chest constricted painfully at the words and he recalled something else his son had said. _"…a gift is no good if it is a burden…" _

His son still defined his life by how useful he was to Minato. He was so afraid to be a burden, so scared that he was not a 'good gift.' He wouldn't let Minato do anything for him; not clean up after dinner, not comfort him when he had a nightmare. Not be his father. And it _hurt_.

But he couldn't tell him that. Just like earlier, he wasn't sure Naruto would understand. Three weeks wasn't enough time to change attitudes ingrained in him from the moment he was born. Actions were all Minato had. He had to _show_ Naruto that he wanted to be his father, not his master. He _would _help his son, whether the teen wanted him to or not.

Right now, what his son needed was comfort. He was obviously still insecure about his place in the village and Minato's feelings for him. Ino's stupid attack had brought those anxieties to the surface.

He leaned forward and placed a hand on the back of his son's neck. He kissed the top of Naruto's head and then rested his forehead against it. He inhaled deeply, smiling faintly as he realized his son smelled like ramen and something else…something bright and tangy. He sat that way for a moment, just breathing and feeling his son's soft hair tickle his face.

"Naruto," he began. "There is nowhere I want to be right now but here. And you are not fine. I can feel you trembling even now. I can feel how upset you are." His son shifted nervously, but he continued. "And you have every right to be. That was a horrible dream." He lifted his head away and shifted his hands so they cupped his son's face. He gently tilted his head up, to look into those huge blue eyes. They were so like his own, but so much more expressive then Minato's had ever been. "I love you, musuko," he said gently, willing the feeling to cross to his son. Naruto took a shaky breath. "I don't think you're a monster at all, or a mistake, and I would never, _never_ hurt you."

Tears formed in Naruto's eyes and he bit his lip, obviously trying to keep from crying. He stared for a long minute at Minato and then did what the older blonde hoped he would do. He let out the breath he'd been holding in a strangled sob and shut his eyes tight. The tears he tried to hold back dripped down his cheeks and he clutched at his father's arms. Minato shifted into a seated position and scooted as close to his son's side as he could get. It was awkward, but it didn't make any difference. He pulled his son into him, moving his right arm around his shaking shoulders. Naruto grabbed him around the waist like a drowning man holding on to a piece of driftwood. His sobs were muffled against Minato's chest. He stroked his son's hair and laid his cheek against the top of his head. He said nothing and simply held him.

After a short while, Naruto's sobs quieted and his shoulders stopped shaking. He sat up and Minato let him go. His son kept his gaze down and wiped his face. An awkward silence descended. Now what? Minato had been completely sure of his actions up until this point. But now…Naruto was done crying and looked vaguely ashamed. Minato had a mix of tears and snot drying on his right side, leaving behind a crust of salt and…whatever it was mucus was made of. He wanted to go home and clean up and go back to sleep. But was he just supposed to leave his son here? That didn't seem right.

"Do you want some tea?" Minato finally asked. Naruto had mentioned during one of their dinner conversations that he found tea ceremonies to be soothing. Maybe having some of the drink now would help comfort him.

Naruto blinked at him and looked down again. He fidgeted with the edge of the futon. "Y-Yes, please," he whispered.

Minato smiled. "Ok. Me, too." He stood and reached a hand down to his son, who took it, somewhat hesitantly, and let Minato pull him to his feet. He hugged his son close. "Hold on tight," he said and before Naruto could do more than tilt his head in confusion, they vanished.

They reappeared in Minato's kitchen, Naruto's reaction finally coming a little too late. His grip on his father tightened and his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open. Minato had to laugh at the expression.

"T-That w-was…y-you…I-I…" his son stammered, apparently unable to form a coherent sentence. Minato laughed harder.

"Yes, that was the Hiraishin." He shrugged. "I didn't really feel like running back here half-dressed. Besides," he grinned wickedly. "I have to keep my ANBU on their toes."

Naruto smiled a little at that and let go of Minato, moving to sit on one of the stools in front of the kitchen counter. He'd barely taken a step, though, when his legs gave out. Minato caught him before he hit the floor, having been waiting for something like that to happen.

"The Hiraishin does that to you," he remarked as he helped his son sit and went to get him a glass of water. "Feels strange, doesn't it?" At Naruto's nod, he continued. "That technique puts a lot of stress on the body, when you aren't used to it. Although, being a passenger, so to speak, isn't as bad." He tilted his head thoughtfully as he placed the water in front of his son. "Still, I would have expected more of a reaction…" He smiled. "Well, maybe that's not so surprising." He ruffled Naruto's hair. "You are _my_ son after all."

Naruto blinked at him and smiled tentatively. He took a sip of water and Minato continued, heading back to the cabinets to get the tea things. "The first time I did it, I threw up and passed out for half an hour, as Sensei likes to remind me…" He kept chattering as he filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove, feeling grateful that Naruto hadn't yet tried to make the tea himself. Although, he had the feeling that any minute now…

"I can do that, Hokage-sama."

And there it was. Minato sighed inwardly. Well, Naruto had let him do this much. It was a start.

He turned to face his son, smiling. "You feeling better?" Naruto nodded, the half-empty water glass in his hands. "Ok. Well, you can keep an eye on it while I go get a shirt, hmmm?"

Naruto nodded again, slipping off the stool and Minato left for his bedroom on the second floor. He quickly wiped off his side with a damp towel and changed into a new pair of dark red sleep pants and a white uwagi shirt. He hesitated for a moment, then grabbed another from the drawer. His son was only dressed in a black, sleeveless top and orange shorts, and while it was still warm during the day, the nights were cool. Fall had arrived in Fire Country.

Returning to the kitchen, he found Naruto carefully packing the loose tea leaves in the infuser. It would be no use trying to get the younger blonde to let him make the tea now. So, instead, he held out the other shirt. "Are you cold, Naruto?"

His son smiled and shook his head. "No, thank you, Hokage-sama. I'm hardly ever cold." Minato blinked and laid the unwanted garment over a stool, taking a seat himself.

"Really?" he asked.

Naruto only nodded. "Aa." He poured steaming water from the kettle into the tea pot.

Minato pondered that. His son _was_ warm, now that he thought about it. Every time he touched him, it was like warming his hands by a fire. It was like…he closed his eyes briefly and sighed. It was like Kushina.

He frowned a little. Thinking about Kushina and the warmth she always radiated reminded him of the dream.

"Naruto," he said, a little slowly. He didn't want to remind his son of painful things, but... "In the dream--" his son's shoulders stiffened, but he continued to pour the tea into cups, "--when you…changed…it felt like you were burning. Does it always feel that way?"

Naruto turned to look at him, surprised by the question. He chewed on his lip a little, then turned back to the tea. "Yes," he replied at last. He picked up the two cups and brought them over to the counter. He placed one in front of his father and took the other himself, seating himself next to Minato. He gave the Hokage a small smile before fixing his gaze firmly on the counter and blowing on the hot tea in his hand.

Minato picked up his own cup, frowning a little. He had more questions, but decided that this wasn't the time nor place to discuss demonic transformations with his son. So, he settled on a different question. "Do you have nightmares often?" he asked gently.

His son shrugged. "Sometimes," he replied, taking a small sip from his cup.

"Are they always that bad?"

Naruto shrugged again and took another sip. "No," he said finally. "Although…" he trailed off and sipped his tea again.

"Although?" Minato prompted.

"In a way, they've all been worse than this one."

_Worse?_ Minato didn't want to think about how they could possibly be _worse_. But he asked anyway. "How so?"

Naruto put his cup down and pushed it back and forth a little on the counter, staring fixedly at it. "Because…because nobody's ever been there when I woke up before." He glanced shyly at Minato out of the corner of his eye, then took a quick sip of tea and went back to staring at the cup.

Minato blinked. That simple confession had been made in such a small voice, and the look his son had as he'd glanced at him…it was like the first day he'd met him, after he told him he loved him for the first time. In this moment, Naruto wasn't an almost-sixteen-year-old, chuunin level, hanyou ninja. He was the child he'd never been before, alone in the world, desperate for a little comfort, desperate for someone, _anyone _to tell him it would be ok. Minato could be that someone. He swore to himself, right then and there, that he would be that someone for his son, no matter how old he was or how old he tried to be.

He snaked a hand around his son's shoulders and pulled him close. He kissed the top of his head again. "I will always be there for you, musuko," he murmured. "I promise." He held him a moment longer and then let go. Naruto smiled at him and they finished their tea in silence.

Minato yawned and stretched, placing his cup on the counter. Naruto noticed and gulped the rest of his before Minato could tell him to take his time. He grabbed Minato's cup and took them both to the sink.

"Just leave it, Naruto," Minato said. "I'll take care of it in the morning."

Naruto blinked at him and nodded, somewhat reluctantly. He walked back over to his father and bowed. "Thank you for the tea, Hokage-sama," he said.

"You're welcome," Minato replied. "I hope it helped."

Naruto nodded. "It did."

Uncomfortable silence again. Naruto may have been feeling better, but Minato still didn't like the idea of him going back to his room, alone. His son had been alone entirely too much in his life as it was. Maybe he could…would he want to…?

"Ummm…o-otou-sama?" Naruto said suddenly. He was looking at the ground and shifting his weight nervously, once again the picture of a lonely child. "Could I maybe…uhhh…if you don't mind, would it be ok if I…" He took a breath. "If-I-stayed-with-you-tonight?" He looked up at his father, biting his lip.

The last part was so rushed, it took Minato a moment to figure out what he said, and Naruto took the pause to be a refusal. He looked back down. "Gomen, Hokage-sama. I-I shouldn't have asked that. I understand. It's probably too suspicious, ne?" He looked up again with a completely fake grin plastered to his face. Minato was learning to differentiate those from the real ones. "It's fine."

Minato sighed and placed his hands on his son's shoulders. "I wish you'd stop jumping to conclusions all the time, Naruto." The boy blinked at him. "I was actually thinking the exact same thing. It's fine if you stay tonight. And it's only suspicious if someone _knows_ you stayed here." His ANBU guard would know, but they didn't count. They didn't gossip about the Hokage. Ever.

Naruto frowned, thinking. "Well, I guess if I leave early enough…"

Minato shook his head. "Naruto, how did you get here?"

His son's eyes widened. "Oh! You mean you'll take me back with the Hiraishin too?"

Minato nodded, chuckling. "Yes. It's not like I don't have to go to the Tower in the morning anyway. I'll take you with me, and no one will be the wiser." He ruffled his son's hair and yawned again. "Come on, I'm tired."

He led the way upstairs, already picturing his nice, warm, comfortable bed.

He slid a door open on the right-hand side of the hall and gestured for Naruto to enter. He did, a little hesitantly, and made his way to the bed. He pulled back the covers and sat on the edge. Minato smiled gently at him and leaned down to kiss his head.

"I'm right next door, ok?" he said, even though Naruto would be able to sense him. "Call me if you need anything."

Naruto nodded with another small smile. "Good night, otou-sama," he said.

"Good night, musuko."

Minato slid the door partially closed as he left, hearing the rustling of covers being pulled up. He made his way to his own bedroom and quickly shed his shirt, tossing it on a chair. He smiled as he sank gratefully into his bed. He had to show his son it was _ok_ to want things from him, and this was a good start. It was going to take a long time--a long, long time--but Minato was patient. He would prevail and Naruto would be hitting him up for ramen every day! His smile faltered at the thought of the bill. Well…maybe not _every_ day.

* * *

Naruto awoke with the sun on his face, creating a lovely, golden patch of warmth, and the most beautiful song he'd ever heard playing softly in his head. He snuggled deeper into his pillow without opening his eyes. He was so comfortable…he didn't want it to end just yet.

But after a moment his eyes flew open and he sat straight up in the bed, head automatically swiveling in the direction of the music. The song...it was his father.

He blinked a few times, clearing the sleep from his eyes and his brain. He slid out from under the sheet and crept to the half-open screen. He stuck his head into the hall. The soft rush of water and off-key humming from behind a closed door across from him told him his father was in the shower. He lowered his eyes. He felt...ashamed and...silly. He'd be sixteen in a few weeks and he'd acted like a little kid last night! Just because of some stupid nightmare. It's not like he hadn't had them before or anything. Although...

It _was _nice to fall asleep knowing his father was nearby and hearing his heartbeat, so strong, so steady, lulling him into slumber. It made him feel..._safe_. Accepted. Not alone. He'd only felt that way a few times before, with Ero-sennin. He smiled a little at the memories.

But still! He was too old for that sort of thing. He slipped from the bed. He'd use the bathroom downstairs and then make his father breakfast by way of apology. Although the Hokage hadn't seemed mad at all. He'd actually been really nice about the whole thing. He'd been...supportive, and comforting, and...like a _dad_.

Naruto wasn't stupid. He knew the man was his father, of course. But his concept of what a father should be, _would _be, was not the same as other's. A father was a master, and that was that. However, Naruto wasn't blind either. He'd seen the way most human fathers hugged their children, or held their hands, or carried them on their shoulders. And he'd struggled with his desperate jealousy, because half of him wanted a father like that while the other half thought it was idiotic. He was not a human child, so he shouldn't expect to be treated like one. But the Hokage _had_ treated him as a human last night, and had seemed happy to do so. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to want a dad instead of a master.

Well...he'd still make breakfast. It was a fitting gesture, no matter what definition of 'father' he used.

* * *

Minato reached for his coat, like he did every morning, but paused. Normally, he grabbed it off the hanger, swept it over his shoulders, and went about his business. But today...today was different. Naruto's dream last night stirred up memories and feelings he hadn't thought of in a long time.

He sighed and traced the lines of the red 'yon' kanji with one long, slender finger.

"_Welcome home...Hokage-sama..."_

He shivered a little, just as he had when she first said those words, voice low and sultry in a candle-lit bedroom.

He closed his eyes and remembered.

The war was over; had been over for a little more than a month. But there were still things to take care of. Iwa was pushing its luck, testing the boundaries of the armistice and Konoha's patience. For no reason, other than wounded pride. It was a sick, stupid waste of human life and Minato was disgusted by it. Iwa wouldn't win if the war started again. They had lost more of their forces than Konoha--in no small part because of him--so these small-scale border incursions were useless, pointless, like the war itself. But they had to be dealt with. And who was better suited to the task than him? He'd taken out twice the number of ninja in one go than they were sending now. It didn't mean it was easy, though, or that he enjoyed it. It wasn't an honest challenge against a worthy opponent, even if they had their orders and he had his. He hated it. Taking life after life so senselessly made him feel cold, numb, like a shinigami himself. The stench of death seemed to cling to him, like the dirt and the blood and the sweat. He was so tired of it all and the peace his sensei often spoke of seemed as far out of reach as ever.

So he had come home to his humble apartment, weary to the bone in more ways than one, wanting nothing more than to get clean and sleep for a few days...or weeks...or months...

And Kushina, as always, was waiting for him with a hot bath and a dish of warm sake. He really didn't know how she always knew when he was home. He'd ask her and she'd just flash him a smile and answer without really answering. "A little birdie told me" was a popular response. Honestly, she sounded like Obito used to.

He slid into the bath, hissing a little at the heat but relishing it all the same, and soaked, one hand holding the sake dish clear of the water. He allowed himself only one drink after missions. He had seen what happened to shinobi that tried to drown their pain too many times to ever take that path himself. But he still enjoyed the taste and the burning warmth of the drink as it flowed down his throat and pooled in his stomach, not to mention the way it relaxed tense muscles.

He stayed until the just-shy-of-scalding water turned cool. Wishing that the laws of nature did not apply and the water would stay hot forever--_maybe I could create a jutsu for that?_--he heaved himself out of the bath and dried off with the big fluffy white towel Kushina left for him. Wrapping it around his waist, he made his way to his bedroom. He was clean now, but he was still terribly tired and that dreadful _cold_ hadn't gone away, despite the bath and the sake.

He slid open his bedroom door and froze, staring, all thoughts of sleep, and anything else, leaving his head.

"Welcome home, Hokage-sama."

Her voice was low and sultry and he shivered, despite the warmth that suddenly sparked in his stomach.

Kushina perched on the edge of his bed, long red hair draped over her shoulder. Lit candles littered every available surface in the room, imparting a soft, flickering glow to her form. She was wearing his coat and...his breath hitched.

Nothing else.

His heart rate doubled and the spark in his stomach roared to life and spread, like a flame licking at dry leaves.

He couldn't speak as she slowly slid off the bed, moving towards him gracefully. She turned, hands resting on her hips, weight shifted so one shapely leg was revealed.

"Do you like it?"

It took him a moment to realize what she was talking about. Red kanji now adorned the back of his coat--the coat _she'd_ given him in the first place. It read 'Yondaime Hokage.' The Sandaime had only given him the news of his succession a few weeks prior and no official announcement had been made. But of course, he'd told those closest to him, including her.

She was watching him over her shoulder, wide gray eyes dark in the dim light.

He licked dry lips and swallowed. "Yes," he replied hoarsely, "I like it very much."

She smirked, enjoying the effect she was having on him. "Good."

She continued her advance and he could do nothing but stare. Her hands slid up around his neck and into his hair as she pressed her body against his. Kami, she was so _warm_.

"What's the matter, Namikaze? Cat got your tongue?" She laughed lowly and he twitched as her hot breath ghosted over his ear. "As if I would let that happen." She laughed again, amused at a joke he didn't understand. Of course, his brain wasn't exactly working properly since all the blood from that area seemed to be rushing somewhere else entirely.

Light kisses that somehow promised much more made their way down his jawline and approached his mouth, but she stopped short, lips hovering above his.

"I'm beginning to think you don't want me," she murmured. He could f_eel_ her pouting.

And suddenly she turned, moving away. "What a shame."

It was all part of the game, and he knew it, but he didn't care. All that mattered was the warmth, her wonderful, glorious _warmth_ was going away. And he wanted it, wanted _her,_ so badly he could taste it. Her warmth had begun to seep into his tired body and banish the cold numbness he still felt. Kushina reminded him, physically as well as mentally, just what he was killing for. To protect what was precious to him, which included her, even if he knew very well she could protect herself. And though he may dole out death to others, he himself was still _alive._ What better way to validate that fact than by making passionate love to the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with?

He growled and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back towards him. He wrapped one arm around her waist, crushing her body against him while he tangled the other in the most glorious hair he'd ever seen. He crashed his lips onto hers, kissing her with a fierce hunger. She responded with equal ardor and it wasn't long before the towel and the coat were just heaps on the floor.

Afterwards, he was once again tired and sweaty, but he felt no desire to take a bath this time. No, this was a _good _sweaty, a _good_ tired. His lover was sleeping, sprawled across his chest, legs entwined with his. He was warm and content just stroking her hair and it was right then that he decided to ask her to marry him.

Minato sighed and opened his eyes again. He'd ordered the ring from a place outside of Konoha and he'd proposed a few months later.

And she'd _accepted_. Or at least, she'd taken the ring. She'd never actually said 'yes'. And then she'd disappeared. Just vanished without a word. Had she been carrying Naruto even then?

His hand fisted in the fabric of the coat before relaxing and slipping the garment off the hanger. He put it on, fastening the cord that held it in place.

That was all in the past. He still didn't know quite he felt about Kushina since learning of Naruto's existence and all the revelations that had brought. Besides, he may never see her again. But Naruto... He smiled. He had Naruto now. He left his room and went to find his son.

* * *

Author's Note:

_Sorry this is late again. I guess I can add 'updating fanfiction' to the list of things I am perpetually late for. If I ever give anyone a deadline again, add a couple days to it and go with that. _


	12. Team Kakashi

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 12

_**Team Kakashi**_

"...and Ino-chan thought it was too small, but I told her I don't need a lot of room, and the view from the bedroom window is so great! Plus, it's got this cool balcony thing..."

Minato smiled at his son across the table as Naruto spoke animatedly about his new apartment, punctuating his words with jabs of his chopsticks.

"...so we're going tomorrow to finish the paperwork and get the key and everything." Naruto smiled broadly and dug into the udon Minato had fixed them for dinner.

"It sounds nice," the Hokage said. "I can't wait to see it."

Naruto nodded, slurping up his noodles. "I still have to get the electricity and stuff turned on, but once I do, we can have dinner there!"

"I'd like that," Minato replied. He sipped his tea. "How are things, with Ino-san?" he asked carefully.

Naruto looked thoughtful. "She was kind of weird at first; calling me Uzumaki-san and bowing a bunch and stuff, but I told her it made me feel old." He paused. "She was feeling guilty, I guess, but I reminded her that I already said I forgave her, and I don't say things I don't mean." He smiled again. "After that, everything was fine."

Minato mused over his son's words. He didn't think he'd be able to forgive so easily. But still, he was glad that Naruto was comfortable around Ino and that the kunoichi seemed to be taking her duties seriously. Forcing her to spend time with his son wasn't meant as a punishment, but as as a way for her to get to know him better and become friends. He hoped that would help Naruto feel more connected to his peers, especially since she was the only one in the village besides himself and Jiraiya that had seen Naruto's demonic side. Even if she didn't realize it.

Naruto swallowed his food and gestured with his chopsticks again. "I mean, she doesn't need to beat herself up about it. You've already punished her, and so did Yamanaka-san. She said he suspended her clan training and she's not allowed out of the house, except to help me, until she can do fifty one-handed push-ups with each hand." Naruto shrugged. "Bushy Brows and I do a hundred every morning, so I'm sure she'll be able to do fifty in no time."

Minato refrained from mentioning that not everyone had his son's or Lee's stamina, or their enthusiasm for training that bordered on insanity. "Maybe you should give her some pointers," he said instead, grinning.

Naruto perked up. "Hey, yeah, that's a great idea!" He didn't seem to realize that his father was teasing.

Minato shook his head and decided not to point it out. "Come by my office tomorrow afternoon, when you're done," he said.

Naruto nodded. "Hai, Hokage-sama!"

* * *

Naruto strolled down the streets of Konoha, making his way to the Tower, the key to his apartment securely tucked in the pouch at his waist. He grinned broadly. He really liked the way that sounded. _His _apartment.

Of course, he hadn't moved in yet, but Ino was going to help him after he got the utilities turned on. He'd assured her he didn't need any help, 'cause he really didn't have much stuff, but she'd insisted. Then he remembered she wasn't allowed out of her house unless it was to help him and he relented. _He_ would sure hate to be cooped up all the time.

When he reached the Hokage's office, he paused. There were four people waiting inside. Three he recognized. His father, Kakashi, and Sasuke. One was new. And female.

He knocked and entered the room. He bowed to the Hokage, who smiled at him, and grinned at Kakashi and Sasuke.

"Hey, Kakashi-san, Sasuke-san!"

The silver-haired ninja gave him a little wave. "Yo!"

Sasuke's eyes flicked over to him and then went back to the Hokage without a greeting. Naruto sighed inwardly. Maybe he was still mad…although Naruto still couldn't figure out why.

He turned to the girl. She was around his age, and had strange, shoulder-length pink hair and green eyes. She was wearing a dark pink, sleeveless shirt with a cream-colored, short-sleeved shirt under it. She also wore a short, white skirt with buckles on the sides and zippered slits in the front and back, and dark leggings. Her shuriken pouch was strapped to her right leg and, instead of sandals, she had on shinobi boots. Her hitai ite was tied around the top of her head. She was quite pretty. He grinned at her and she smiled back, although her gaze kept flicking over to Sasuke.

"Naruto-kun," his father said. "This is Haruno Sakura. Sakura-san, Uzumaki Naruto."

They bowed to each other, murmuring greetings.

"Naruto-kun is a new ninja in the village," the Hokage continued, speaking mostly to Sakura. "He's been here for just over three weeks. In this time, he has trained with some of the chuunin teams." He turned his head, addressing the other ninja in the room too. "After reading the reports of his progress, and considering the skill set he possesses, I feel the best place for him is on a team. Therefore, I am reconstituting Team Seven." He grinned. "Consisting of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto under Hatake Kakashi. Congratulations. You are now Team Kakashi."

Naruto grinned too. This was awesome! His own team! And with Sasuke! He'd been hoping his father would put him on a team with the Uchiha, but of course he had never said anything.

Kakashi smiled at them--at least, Naruto thought he was smiling, given the way his visible eye was scrunched up--and said, "Welcome to the team, Naruto. The first thing we should do is get to know each other better. Meet me on the roof in five minutes." He bowed to the Hokage and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto blinked at the spot he'd been in for a moment, then turned to his father. The Hokage smiled and made a little waving motion with his hand. "Go on, then, you only have five minutes."

Naruto smiled brilliantly and bowed. "Thank you, Hokage-sama!" He dashed to the open window and hopped up on the sill. "C'mon, guys!" he encouraged his new teammates as he gathered chakra in his feet and prepared to dash up the wall.

His father was chuckling, Sakura was staring at him with a surprised look on her face, and Sasuke…well Sasuke seemed as disinterested as ever. But, he was at least _looking_ at Naruto now.

Sakura spoke. "Naruto-san, what about the stairs?"

He snorted a little. Since he had been living in the Tower, he'd made it a priority to explore. Both for safety reasons--a shinobi should always be aware of their surroundings--and because he was simply curious. And he'd learned many interesting things. One of them being… "There are no stairs to the roof." He gestured outside. "This is the only way up."

Sakura blinked at him.

Sasuke decided to enter the conversation. Sort of. "Hn."

The kunoichi in the room sighed. "He's testing us already," she grumbled under her breath.

"So you'd better get going," the Hokage said, barely restrained laughter evident in his voice. "I'm sure he expects to have at least a good half-hour of reading time before you three show up."

Sakura grinned, a little evilly, Naruto thought, and moved towards the window where Naruto perched. "Well, I'd _hate_ to cut into his _reading_ time, right Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha made no reply but moved over to the window on the other side of the Hokage's desk. He opened it and jumped through, landing lightly on the wooden shingles of the roof below.

"Hey, Sasuke-san," Naruto called, grinning. "I'll bet I can make it to the top before you." He jumped off the sill and settled into a crouching position above the window, hands and feet stuck to the wall with chakra.

His new teammate made a disbelieving sound and merely put one foot, then the other, on the wall, calmly walking up the side of the Tower, using chakra to defy gravity and keep himself perpendicular to the wall.

Naruto snickered to himself and started loping up the wall, keeping to all fours. It was easier and faster to climb up a wall this way, at least for him. He noticed that, despite the black-haired ninja's apparent disinterest in a friendly race, he'd increased his pace to catch up to the blonde. So Naruto sped up a little. Sasuke did the same. Naruto grinned.

"Hey!" Sakura's voice drifted up from below them. "Wait up!"

Only Naruto's delighted laughter answered her as both young ninja raced up the side of the Tower.

* * *

Kakashi had only just gotten to the juicy part of the chapter when he felt Naruto's and Sasuke's chakras coming up the side of the building a short ways to his left, followed by Sakura's. He sighed and leaned a little more heavily on the railing that surrounded the roof of the Hokage Tower. He thought he'd have more time before they realized there weren't any stairs--this was his favorite part of the book after all. Well, it couldn't be helped. He buried his nose back in the orange tome and waited for them to appear. He didn't have to wait long.

Two hands suddenly grasped the edge of the eaves that surrounded the Tower just below the roofline. They were quickly followed by a mess of bright gold hair and sky-blue eyes as Naruto pulled himself up onto the eave. The moment his feet touched the shingles, he shot forward, hands reaching for the top of the rail. He made it in one bound and vaulted over the metal railing, landing lightly in a crouch on the other side.

Just after Naruto's hands first appeared, a head of dark hair shot over the edge of the eave too, between Kakashi and the blonde. Sasuke was leaning forward, left leg bent, the knee against his chest, and right leg straight. His arms were also straight and angled a little behind him, out of the way. He'd chosen the more difficult way, control-wise, to overcome the barrier of the eave, and that was to push himself off the wall at an angle, as though he was going to jump over the eave completely. His bent leg cleared the edge and he planted it, using his momentum to propel himself upright, relative to the roof. His foot landed just as Naruto's did, and, like the blonde, he instantly pushed off again. Only instead of reaching for the rail with his hands, he merely jumped to the top. He balanced there for an instant before dropping off onto the roof in a light crouch much like Naruto's.

The two touched down so closely together that Kakashi couldn't tell who was first without the Sharingan. They stared at each other, Naruto grinning and Sasuke glaring.

"Maa, maa," the silver-haired man said, crinkling his eye in a cheesy smile. "I think it's a tie."

Both heads swiveled in his direction. Both sets of eyes, black and blue, fixed on Kakashi. In that instant, it struck him that they were two sides of the same coin. Night and Day. Yin and Yang. Opposite and yet alike.

He blinked as Sasuke stood, and the impression vanished. _Where did _that _come from?_

The Uchiha sniffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I wasn't racing," he scoffed.

Kakashi hid his grin by turning another page of his book. Not that they'd be able to see it behind his mask, but Sasuke had gotten pretty good at reading him by now.

Naruto didn't believe what the Uchiha said either, apparently, because he smirked as he stood and leaned against the rail. "Suuuure," he said, drawing the word out tauntingly.

Sasuke ignored him, looking anywhere but at the blonde. Kakashi chuckled, although he pretended it was because of his book.

Another set of hands grabbed onto the eaves and Sakura appeared on the roof. Instead of launching herself, though, like the boys had, she stood and walked at a normal pace to the rail. She rested her hands on her hips. "Geez, Naruto-san, what's the rush?" she asked, clearly annoyed. Kakashi noticed she didn't accuse Sasuke of rushing too.

Naruto blinked wide eyes at the kunoichi. "You could have raced too, Sakura-san!"

She paused in climbing over the rail and eyed her new teammate. "That's not what I meant…" She shook her head. "Forget it." She turned to Kakashi once she'd gotten all the way over. "What now, Sensei?"

He gazed lazily at her from behind his book. "It's been a while, Sakura. How about we fill each other in on what we've been doing the last few years."

"Ok." She tilted her head at him in a deceptively innocent manner. "You go first, Sensei."

_Damn_. "Well, Sakura, I haven't really been doing much at all." He ignored Sasuke's snort and he pointed at the pink-haired girl. "You next."

She shot him a look at his answer, or lack thereof, but replied. "I've been learning medical jutsu and working at the hospital. I've also been learning genjutsu from Kurenai-sensei." Her eyes flicked to Sasuke as she said the last part.

"Oh, cool!" Naruto exclaimed. "She's really good!"

Sakura blinked at him. "Yes, she _is_ a Genjutsu Master." She ignored any response he might make and turned back to Kakashi. "I've gone on some missions, nothing higher than B-rank, mostly as medical back-up."

Kakashi nodded. "Very good. Sasuke?"

The Uchiha grunted. "Training with Kakashi-sensei and missions."

Kakashi turned his gray eye on Naruto. No use trying to get Sasuke to say anything else. "Naruto?"

The blonde shrugged. "Well, I've been training with Jiraiya-sensei since I was eight, and we mostly traveled around Fire Country. Some of the other Elemental Countries too. I did some missions when I was with him. Just simple stuff that came our way from people he knew. I dunno what rank they'd be. C or B, I guess."

Sakura and Sasuke were staring at him. "You were trained by one of the Sannin?" Sakura asked. Naruto nodded, grinning. "What about before that? Where are you from? Where are your parents?"

"Well…I'm from the Land of Fire, I guess," Naruto started slowly.

Sakura shook her head impatiently. "I figured that," she said. "Where in Fire Country? Where's your home?"

He blinked at her. "No where. I never had a home before I came to Konoha." He grinned again. "But this is my home now."

This piece of information was met with silence. Even Kakashi turned a sharp eye on his sensei's son. He hadn't known _that_.

"Why didn't you have a home?" Sakura asked finally.

Naruto shrugged. "My mom travels a lot. We never stayed in one place long enough for it to be a home."

"What about your father?" Sasuke asked.

The blonde's grin didn't fade, but he seemed suddenly…wary. Kakashi understood why.

"I never knew him."

Kakashi applauded silently in his head. It was clever wording. Not an outright lie--Minato had explained that Naruto _hadn't_ known who his father was before he came to the village--but misleading enough to conceal the truth.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes a little but said nothing further.

The silence was getting a little strained when Sakura broke it. "So, ah, what town were you born in?"

Naruto furrowed his brows and rested his hands on his hips. "I wasn't born in a town," he began, looking out at the horizon. "I was born in a hollow tree..." he paused, then pointed to the southwest, "...over that way. I don't think it was too far from here, actually..." He tapped two fingers against his chin, looking thoughtful. He stopped when he noticed Sakura staring at him. "What?"

"You...you were born in a _tree_?" she asked, disbelief coloring her tone. "_Why_?"

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "Why not?"

She gaped at him, seeming at a complete loss for words. Kakashi decided to rescue her. "I think what Sakura means is why didn't your mother go to a town with a hospital, or even a midwife?" He was pretty curious to know the answer himself. He wasn't even pretending to read his book.

Naruto snorted a little, a wry smile on his lips. "_My_ mother, give birth in a _hospital_?" He snorted again. "Riiiight; she'd probably burn the place down." Kakashi had to admit he had a point. "Besides, she knew what she was doing. She didn't need or want anyone around."

"So let me get this straight," Sakura said, still sounding incredulous. "You were born in the forest somewhere, then you traveled around with your mother until you were eight, then you started training with Jiraiya-sama?"

Naruto looked sheepish and scratched the back of his head. "Ano...no, actually. My mother left when I was four. So I traveled by myself until I met Sensei."

Kakashi was surprised and a little disturbed by the admission. To be on his own when he was so young...why would Kushina do such a thing?

Sakura looked horrified. Sasuke's expression was blank as usual, but the way his dark eyes were fixed on Naruto, Kakashi could tell he was interested.

"Have you..." Sakura hesitated, but continued. "Have you seen her at all since then?"

Naruto nodded, grinning. "Sure! She found me when I was ten and taught me some family stuff, like my taijutsu style."

Out of all the unbelievable things Naruto had just told them, for some reason, Kakashi thought this one sounded the most like a lie. Perhaps he would ask the Hokage about it.

"What about after that?" Sakura asked.

"Once she was done training me, she disappeared again. I haven't seen her since."

More silence.

Naruto was smiling, though Kakashi could see the stiffness in his shoulders. His other two students were just staring at the blonde and it was getting uncomfortable. But he waited to see how his sensei's son would handle the situation.

"So," Naruto said brightly after another moment, "Hokage-sama said he was reconstituting Team Seven. Does that mean you guys were a team before?"

So his new student had decided to deflect attention away from himself with a question. A good strategy. Kakashi smiled at him. "That's right."

Naruto watched him, obviously waiting for him to elaborate. When Kakashi stayed silent, he scratched the back of his head again. "What happened?"

Sasuke looked away, and Sakura glanced worriedly at him, then at Kakashi, before turning to the blonde.

"Well, during our first Chuunin Exam, our third teammate...he..." she trailed off, chewing her lip.

"Oh," Naruto said solemnly, eyes wide. "Did he die?"

Sasuke snorted and Sakura shook her head. "No! Nothing like that. He just...he..."

"It was decided that he wasn't fit to be with the team," Kakashi broke in. "He was reassigned, but there weren't any replacements for him at the time. So the team was disbanded. That was three years ago. And you heard what we've been doing since." He gave another cheesy smile. "Well! I think that's enough for today. We'll meet tomorrow at dawn at the usual training ground. Sasuke, Sakura, one of you show Naruto where that is." He lifted his book to his face and gave them a little wave. "Ja ne!"

He shunshined off the roof to a nearby tree to see what his students would do next.

* * *

Naruto blinked as Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves, then turned to his new teammates. "So where's the training ground he's talking about? I've been to a couple already."

Sakura waved her hand. "He means TG 7. Do you know where that is?" Naruto nodded and she continued. "Don't come at dawn though."

Naruto blinked at her. "Why not?"

She gave a small chuckle. "Kakashi-sensei is never on time. He's always at least an hour late for everything."

"Oh." He grinned. "Thanks for the tip!" He paused, thinking. It was kind of early, and if he only had a couple bowls, he'd be hungry again by the time dinner came around... "Do you guys want to get some ramen?"

Sasuke scoffed. "No. I'm going home." He hopped over the railing and started walking to the edge of the eave.

Sakura bit her lip looking between his retreating back and Naruto. He kept the grin on his face, but he could already tell what she was going to say.

"Next time, okay, Naruto-san?" And the kunoichi followed their dark-haired teammate, calling his name even as he dropped off the eave. But before she got to the edge, she turned back. "It was nice meeting you. I'll see you tomorrow!" And she was gone over the side too.

Naruto let his smile fade, staring at the place his teammates had just been. Well. That was disappointing. But it was only the first day. His smile returned. He was sure they'd want to come along next time. Right now, there was a bowl (or two, or three) of Ichiraku ramen with his name on it!

* * *

A little smile graced Kakashi's face as he watched Naruto leap over the side of the Hokage Tower with a yell. It was a complete turn-around from the blonde that had been standing there a moment before with one of the loneliest expressions the silver-haired man had ever seen. And Kakashi understood lonely. He was the only Hatake left in Konoha after all, and he was Uchiha Sasuke's teacher.

He was disappointed, but not surprised, that his students had turned down Naruto's offer. Sasuke wasn't a friendly person to begin with and Sakura had always followed his lead. At least the kunoichi had said goodbye. And warned Naruto not to show up at dawn tomorrow. He smirked. Maybe he should be on time for once, just to be contrary.

A sudden presence making its way quickly towards his position in the tree interrupted his thoughts and his eye widened in surprise. "Naruto?"

Big blue eyes and a bright grin appeared next to him. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei! Want to get some ramen?"

"Well..." He tried to think of an excuse to get out of it, but stopped himself. What had he just been disappointed in his other students for? "Sure. We can take some back to Minato-sensei."

Naruto's face lit up. "Yeah! That's a great idea!" He jumped down to a lower branch. "Come on!"

The Copy Nin chuckled and followed after the young blonde. He _was_ hungry, and besides, he could get Naruto to tell him just how he'd known Kakashi was up that tree.

* * *

The next day, about an hour after sunrise, three young chuunin waited for their infamously tardy sensei in one of Konoha's many training grounds. The ninja had taken up various positions around three wooden stumps standing in a row at the edge of a large clearing. The black-haired one of the group had settled cross-legged in front of the right-hand post, back ramrod straight and face impassive. The kunoichi was sitting against the middle post, chin resting on bent knees and arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes were closed. The blonde was sitting on top of the third post, legs dangling and head propped in one hand while he spun a kunai lazily with the other. Occasionally, his eyes took on a glazed look and the kunai stopped moving. But then he'd shake himself and start spinning the weapon again. Finally, he announced in a loud and incredibly annoyed voice, "Kami, I am so bored!"

Kakashi smirked as he observed his new team from a tree. That was his cue. He appeared in front of the teens in a cloud of smoke and smiled at them from behind his book. "Good morning!"

"You're late!" Naruto yelled, pointing at him with the kunai.

The Copy Nin almost cackled in glee at the thought that the young blonde hadn't heard _any_ of his excuses yet. He decided to start with a classic. "Well, I was on my way here, and I had to help this old lady with her groceries."

Naruto just stared at him incredulously. "For an hour?" he muttered.

Kakashi ignored him. "We'll begin with basic team exercises today. You three need to get used to working with each other. When I feel you're ready, we'll start doing missions. Got it?" They nodded and he continued. "In order to learn about each other's strengths and weaknesses, we'll start with one-on-one sparring matches. Then we'll move on to group exercises. Sakura, you're with me. Sasuke, you'll fight Naruto first." He grinned at them. "Try not to wreck the place like you did last time, okay?"

Naruto grinned back and gave him a big thumbs up, the kunai having disappeared into his sleeve. "Okay, Kakashi-sensei!"

Sasuke just _hned_, looking bored, and Sakura looked puzzled.

"What did you mean by that, Sensei?" she asked as he led her across the river to a different part of the training area.

He waved his hand carelessly. "Oh, Hokage-sama had Sasuke and Naruto spar about a week and a half ago, to test Naruto's kenjutsu."

Sakura nodded. "Did Sasuke-kun beat Naruto-san very badly?"

Kakashi eyed the girl next to him. He didn't blame her for her assumption; he'd made the same one. But that was before he'd seen the blonde fight. "Don't underestimate your new teammate, Sakura. He and Sasuke were very evenly matched, in both power and skill. They destroyed the area they fought in. It took three gennin teams two days to clean it up."

Sakura stared at him. "Oh," she said quietly, glancing behind her.

He chuckled. "Don't worry; I don't think they'll do that today. Now." He stopped abruptly and faced the kunoichi as he snapped his book shut. He stowed it in his pouch and dropped into a ready stance. "Show me how you've improved since I saw you last."

* * *

Sasuke fought to keep his irritation from showing. His aniki had been right. _Again._

He was stuck with Uzumaki as a teammate, and, worse, his infuriating sensei had just waltzed off with Sakura, leaving them alone to spar.

What if the fox acted up again?

The Copy Nin knew of the strange reaction Sasuke felt during the kenjutsu test; he had been present when Sasuke told the Hokage about it. The Yondaime had not seemed at all surprised or concerned, which Sasuke thought was strange, but he had checked the seal anyway and found nothing amiss. That actually worried the Uchiha more. If it had been a problem with the seal, it could be fixed. But it wasn't and so Sasuke had no idea what to do. Itachi had suggested asking the fox about it, but Sasuke hated speaking with the demon and wasn't sure it would give him an answer anyway. So he would only resort to that if anything else happened. And, to his surprise and relief, nothing did. He hadn't felt so much as a flutter from the fox since the spar.

But still, he hadn't fought Uzumaki again until today either; what if that was the trigger? What if it was worse this time and he couldn't control it? What if Kakashi needed to use the seal the Hokage had developed to repress the fox's chakra? He shouldn't be running off and leaving the two of them alone...

"Oy, Sasuke-san." Uzumaki's annoyingly loud voice broke into his thoughts. The blonde was standing on top of the stump, arms crossed. "Are we going to do this, or what?"

Sasuke sniffed, but rose from his seated position and moved away from the posts. He heard Naruto land on the ground behind him. He stopped and turned, settling into a ready stance and ignoring the slight excitement he felt at finally getting to see what the blonde could do.

He shouldn't be getting _excited._ It was silly. Even if Uzumaki _could_ match him in other areas besides kenjutsu, it didn't mean that he _would_.

Nobody ever did.

Every opponent he'd ever had, with the exception of Itachi, Kakashi, and the Hokage, was desperately afraid to fight him. At best, they made half-hearted attempts that wouldn't work against a gennin, and at worst they simply forfeited. That made him frustrated and angry, which in turn only made them more frightened. They couldn't seem to understand that he wasn't angry because they _were_ fighting him, but because they _weren't_. They probably wouldn't win against him anyway, but damn it, they didn't even _try_. And the thing that really pissed him off was that he had never done anything to earn their fear. He had never once used the fox's chakra in a spar with a comrade, except the times when Kakashi worked with him to try and control it. But that didn't matter; they still didn't trust him.

Not that he cared. He didn't need their trust. Not at all.

Uzumaki didn't seem particularly afraid, however. In fact, he was grinning again. That same, stupid expression that made Sasuke grit his teeth. It could be an act, to hide his fear, though Sasuke wasn't sure what was worse; Uzumaki being scared of him, or Uzumaki not taking him seriously.

He narrowed his eyes as the blonde charged forward. Well, he was about to find out.

* * *

It took two minutes before Sasuke admitted to himself, grudgingly, that the blonde was good. And one more minute before the hardest blow he'd gotten in a spar in a long time landed squarely on his face.

The Uchiha flipped back and stared at his new teammate. His hand reached halfway up to his jaw before he caught himself and lowered it again.

_Damn,_ that hurt.

Naruto snickered. "Don't worry, Sasuke. I didn't mess up your good looks."

Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed dangerously, anger bubbling up through his surprise. "You can't hit that hard," he retorted. He paused. It seemed his question was answered, but he wanted to make sure. "You...you're not...afraid?"

Naruto cocked his head. "Afraid of what? You?" He snorted, trying, and failing, to quell his laughter. "Why would I be? You're a good ninja and all but--" he shrugged, "--nothing I can't handle." He grinned at his dark-haired teammate.

Sasuke stared, forgetting to be insulted by the blonde's laughter. Was it possible he still didn't know about the fox? Sasuke figured he hadn't known during the kenjutsu test, but surely he would by now. The Uchiha couldn't imagine the Hokage forgetting to relay that piece of information, especially to a ninja who would be his teammate. But if he did...why wasn't he afraid? Why wasn't he acting like everyone else?

"Why aren't you?" Sasuke demanded. "Everyone else is."

Naruto stared at him. "I thought you had an ego, but this is ridiculous. Do you honestly expect me to be scared because you're an Uchiha or some shit like that?"

Sasuke felt a flare of annoyance. Just how dense was this guy? "Not because of that," he replied. His hand twitched, but he resisted the urge to place it on his stomach.

Naruto blinked at him a few times before his face lost the confused look and went suddenly very serious, like it had after their last spar. "You mean because of the Kyuubi?" He shook his head, even as Sasuke's eyes widened. "No. That doesn't scare me at all."

"Why?" Sasuke whispered.

Naruto shrugged. "I trust you, Sasuke."

Sasuke felt an uncomfortable tightness in his chest and a prickle in his eyes. Why did that...that..._dobe_ have to say that?! His eyes narrowed as the feeling that he couldn't even begin to describe threatened to overwhelm his carefully constructed shields. His lips pressed into a thin line and his jaw tightened.

_Damn it!_ He was an Uchiha, and he was much too proud and much too strong to collapse into a quivering pile of emotion because of the words of someone he barely knew. Even if they were the sort of words that indicated an acceptance he'd secretly always longed for but rarely found.

_Damn it, damn it!_ He didn't care about Uzumaki's acceptance, or his trust, just like he didn't care about anyone else's. Didn't. _Did. Not. _Really.

His fists clenched before he whipped through the hand seals for a lightening jutsu and launched it at the blonde. He needed an outlet and he preferred fighting to other, less desirable displays. Like crying.

Naruto only grinned that infuriating grin and released his own wind jutsu. They managed to only destroy a few trees this time.

* * *

Minato eyed the dark-haired kunoichi standing in front of his desk. Her team had finished reporting on their latest mission, but he had held her back. "Hinata-san."

He hadn't forgotten his son's request to use the Forest of Death, and he'd planned on discussing it at dinner. However...this opportunity was just too good to pass up. The scroll was almost finished and he might not have another chance.

Minato grinned, a certain glint in his eye. Had Kakashi been there, he would have recognized the expression immediately. "Please find Naruto and tell him I need to speak with him. He should be with Gai-san in Training Ground 23."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The Hyuuga heiress bowed and left.

Minato briefly toyed with the idea of following after the girl, just to see what happened when she caught sight of his son in the middle of making a taijutsu scroll, but discarded it. He really had too much to do to go traipsing around Konoha. Besides, he had another way to spy.

He pulled open a small drawer in the corner of the desk and removed a scroll from the pile inside. He unrolled it, bit his thumb, and smeared a little blood onto the seal painted on the parchment. A round, clear glass ball resting on a cushion appeared in a _poof_ of smoke. He placed his hands on it and channeled a little chakra until he could see the image he wanted. He chuckled. Damn, this thing was useful…

* * *

Hinata activated her Byakugan from a rooftop and looked in the direction of TG 23. Naruto was most definitely there. His chakra was easy for her to spot, even from a distance. It was so bright and so unusual…she'd never seen anything like it before. She let her eyes return to normal and headed for the clearing. She approached quietly, coming down to the ground and pausing at the edge of the trees to watch her crush for a moment from behind a trunk. What she saw made her gasp.

Gai was sitting with his back to her, writing something on an immense scroll. Naruto was turned to the left in a taijutsu stance, so she could see his profile. But the thing that really got her blood boiling was the fact that he was wearing hardly any clothing. Not even his hitai ite. The only thing he had on was a pair of dark blue, tight-fitting boxers resting around his hips.

_Oh sweet kami._

She could feel her cheeks get hot, even as her eyes roamed across his figure in a _very _unladylike manner. He was of medium build, not bulky like Chouji, but not slim like Shikamaru either. Every muscle was perfectly toned, perfectly sculpted. Of course, she knew, in theory, that ninja had to be in good shape--they didn't survive long if they weren't. But she had never seen a man with quite so little clothing on before.

Well, except for that one time when she had accidentally walked in on Neji while he was changing, but that didn't count. She'd barely gotten a glimpse before she'd let out a startled squawk, whipped around, and run headlong into the door frame. When she'd come to, he had been fully dressed and leaning over her with what she swore was amusement, if her cousin ever felt amused. They had never spoken of the incident.

So, really, she had never seen a man this completely for this long a period of time. She found she…quite liked it. She licked her lips, then froze.

_Did I really just do that?_

Yes…yes she did. Her stomach felt fluttery. Her cheeks were burning. She laughed breathlessly at herself. Here she was, hiding behind a tree, staring at a half-naked male, and _licking her lips_. She was a total perv.

She should really deliver her message and leave; Gai certainly knew she was there and he'd start to wonder if she hung back too long. But maybe…maybe she'd watch just a few minutes longer…

Naruto had black seals painted on various parts of his body and it was then that she realized he was making a taijutsu scroll. As if to confirm her observation, Gai finished his writing and called out, "Ok, next!"

Naruto grunted in acknowledgement and smoothly performed a series of stances, ending with one facing her position. The way he moved was so…so…_beautiful_. His muscles rippled slightly as he changed positions, some flexing, some relaxing, and Hinata found herself growing dizzy. His hair shone in the waning sunlight and his eyes glinted and his skin looked like bronze and his smile was radiant and he was, in that moment, the most gorgeous thing she had ever _seen_. He was a god.

The god's bright blue eyes suddenly looked directly at her and he winked.

She froze again, staring.

_He knows I'm here!_

She fainted.

* * *

Naruto was staring off into space, thinking about his first day of training with his new teammates, and getting electricity in his apartment, and _anything_ other than the burning thirst in his throat, when he felt the familiar heartbeat approach. The song was graceful and ethereal, like a thrush.

_Hinata-chan…_

He smiled to himself, grateful for the distraction, and wondered what she was there for.

She paused at the edge of the clearing, hanging back in the trees. Hmmm…maybe she was afraid to interrupt them? He heard her gasp, so quietly he almost missed it. He resisted the urge to look over at her and mess up the scroll. Was something wrong? Gai didn't seem perturbed and there was no else around them. So that wasn't it. Her heartbeat sped up, but she remained silent. Huh. He was confused.

He was still mulling it over when Gai called for the next combination. He grunted and slid easily through the stances. Now he was facing her. He should give her some indication that it was ok to come out; she wasn't disturbing anything and if she needed help with something, she should ask. So, he looked at her and winked.

His expression turned to one of panic as she collapsed forward. What the hell?!

* * *

"Gomen, Gai-sensei!"

Konoha's Green Beast looked up from the scroll to see Naruto leap over him in a tremendous display of youth, heading for the trees. He craned his head around. "Naruto-kun, what…" he trailed off as he caught sight of the Hyuuga girl slumping to the ground. "Ah." He'd sensed her there and wondered how long it would take for her to get up the courage to approach. Apparently, she'd fainted before that could happen. Naruto almost didn't make it in time. Luckily the tree she was behind arrested her fall.

The young blonde grabbed her before she hit the ground and hoisted her in his arms, bridal-style. He carried her back into the clearing, heading for Gai.

"Gomen, Gai-sensei," he said again, looking worriedly at the kunoichi. "But…"

"Not to worry, Naruto-kun! To rush to the aid of a comrade is a most brilliant display of youth!"

The blonde grinned. "Thanks, Gai-sensei." He knelt, setting Hinata on the ground in a sitting position with her head and shoulders carefully cradled against his chest. "Is she ok?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

Gai smiled. "She's fine, Naruto-kun."

"Are you sure? Kurenai-sensei said the same thing, but this is the second time in two weeks! What if something's wrong?"

Gai shook his head. "Nothing is wrong, Naruto-kun." The blonde didn't look convinced. "Perhaps she is just overheated. Why don't you get her some water?"

"Ok!" Naruto eased the girl carefully to the ground and bounded to his pile of clothes and supplies. Gai watched him rummaging around and chuckled. Kurenai had related the story of Hinata fainting at their practice just over two weeks ago to him and Asuma. It was so very _youthful_ of the Hyuuga girl to have a crush on the new ninja! He wasn't remotely surprised by her reaction at seeing the object of her affections mostly naked. He had thought of letting her wake up to find she was in Naruto's arms, but decided that that might give her a heart attack. He had no intention of doing such an unyouthful thing to the poor girl. Someone, and he had his suspicions who, had already teased her enough today.

Naruto bounded back, water and small towel in hand. He wet the cloth and gently dabbed Hinata's brow and cheeks. Such tender concern brought a lump to Gai's throat. He looked away, eyes closed, hands clutched to his chest. He was Moved! But it was better to let the girl come around on her own, so he'd forego the youthful display. For now.

* * *

Hinata's pale eyes fluttered open to see a whiskered face peering intently at her. Her own eyes went wide and a blush immediately sprang to her cheeks.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto's voice was fairly dripping with relief. "Are you ok?"

"H-Hai, N-Naruto-san," she replied quietly, sitting up slowly.

He pulled back to give her room, holding a water bottle out to her. "Do you want some water?"

She shook her head a little. "N-No thank y-you." It was then she realized the suffix he'd used with her name. "Ch-Chan?" she inquired.

He looked down, abashed, and fiddled with a piece of grass. "Is it ok if I call you that? I don't have to, if you don't want--"

"N-No!" she replied, a little more forcefully than she'd intended. He looked up, surprised at her tone. "That's fine, i-if you w-want to c-call me that."

He smiled, one of those brilliant ones that made her feel a little giddy, and she found herself speaking. "Ano, i-is it ok if I c-call y-you k-kun?"

He blinked at her while she fidgeted furiously. She couldn't believe she'd asked him that! "Sure thing, Hinata-chan!" He smiled at her.

She gave a tentative smile back.

He looked at her for another moment before asking, "So…what are you doing here, Hinata-chan?"

Her eyes widened as she realized she hadn't delivered her message. "G-gomen, Naruto-kun. H-Hokage-sama would l-like to s-speak with you."

"Oh." He looked confused, but the expression rapidly disappeared and he smiled at her again. "Thanks, Hinata-chan!"

He glanced over at Gai, who was already starting to roll up the taijutsu scroll. "Go ahead, Naruto-kun," he said. "We were almost done here anyway."

"Thanks, Gai-sensei!" And the blonde was on his feet and heading for his clothes in a flash. Hinata watched him go, watched how his back muscles moved as he bent down, reaching for his pants… She flushed even redder and quickly looked away. She didn't want to faint _again_.

After a minute, Naruto's voice drifted over to her. "You know, Hinata-chan," he began and she risked a peek, to find he was thankfully--_disappointingly--_dressed. "If you get overheated so much, maybe you shouldn't wear that jacket." He strapped his shuriken pouch to his thigh.

She blushed again at the thoughts _that_ simple comment triggered. "T-Thank you for y-your concern, N-Naruto-kun. But I'm ok, r-really."

He shrugged. "If you say so." He sounded skeptical. He tugged on the knot of his hitai ite, securing it in place. "Well, I'm ready! Are you coming, Hinata-chan?"

She blinked at him. "A-Ano, but otou-sama is expecting m-me..."

"Oh." He looked disappointed for a moment, but then he grinned brightly at her. "Ok, well, I'll see you around, ne?"

She nodded and he gave a jaunty wave. "Later, Gai-sensei!"

"Farewell, Naruto-kun!" Gai replied and the young blonde disappeared into the trees.

Hinata bowed, murmuring her own farewell to Konoha's Green Beast, and made a hasty exit.

She _had _to tell Tenten!

* * *

Naruto was distracted. Well, more so than usual. Minato had noticed it yesterday at dinner, but he'd thought Naruto was just preoccupied with the changes happening in his life--new team, new apartment... However, today it was worse. The Hokage had caught him staring off into space multiple times, eyes unfocused, hands clenched.

Like right now.

"Naruto," his father called him.

Naruto started slightly and turned his gaze to Minato. He blinked a few times, finally focusing on the older blonde. He gave a small bow. "Gomen, Hokage-sama," he said.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Hokage-sama," Naruto said, a little too quickly.

Minato sighed but didn't ask again. He'd give Naruto a little space. After all, he could always command the boy to tell him if necessary.

"I called you here to discuss your request to use the Forest of Death for your training."

Naruto gave a slight nod, eyes now staring intently at the Hokage.

"I have decided to grant your request--" Naruto sucked in his breath and grinned, but Minato continued on, "--provided you do two things." He held up one finger. "First, you must always inform me exactly when you want to use the Forest and for how long." Naruto nodded and he held up another finger. "Second, you must let me give you a Hiraishin seal."

At this, Naruto's eyebrows quirked in confusion. "A Hiraishin seal?" he repeated.

Minato nodded. "That way, I'll be able to get to you in an instant, if I need to."

"Oh." Naruto still looked confused, but he suddenly grinned. "Does that mean I get one of those cool kunai?" he asked excitedly.

Minato chuckled. "You can have one of those if you want, but I was thinking of something a little more permanent."

The confused look was back on Naruto's face. "More permanent?"

"Aa. A kunai can be lost or forgotten. The handle can be damaged too, rendering it useless for the jutsu. But, if I imprint the seal on your skin, those things won't be a problem. All you have to do is call and I'll come." He smiled softly at his son.

The younger blonde was looking at him with wide eyes. "Oh," he said again. He dropped his eyes. "Why?" he mumbled, seemingly to himself.

"Why what?"

He looked up again, startled, but then smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Gomen nasai, Hokage-sama, I didn't mean to question your orders…"

Minato sighed. He was thrilled that, ever since the night Naruto stayed at the Hokage residence, his son seemed more at ease around him, but sometimes… "I wasn't giving orders, Naruto. You don't have to agree to the conditions. And you didn't answer my question."

"Gomen, Hokage-sama," Naruto apologized again. "I was merely wondering why you wanted to be able to get to me so quickly."

Minato blinked. "In case you need my help." Naruto still looked confused. "Look, I know you can take care of yourself, but the Forest of Death is a dangerous place. I…worry about you going in there on a regular basis by yourself. Even if it's silly..." he shrugged and smiled at the younger blonde. "That's what parents do."

Naruto was staring at him wide-eyed again. Minato wondered if it was really so hard to comprehend. Apparently so, because Naruto dropped his gaze, seemingly deep in thought.

Minato gave him a minute. "So, do you accept these conditions?"

Naruto looked up, surprised. "Of course, Hokage-sama," he said, as though there was no other possible way to answer. Although, Minato acknowledged to himself, there really wasn't if Naruto wanted to use the Forest. He hadn't given him much of a choice.

"Alright." The Hokage rummaged around in his desk, finally pulling out a brush, an ink pot, and a small bowl. He waved his son over. "This will be a permanent seal," he said, seriously, as he poured some of the ink into the bowl. "It cannot be damaged by an injury, or removed by anyone but a Seal Master. It won't even be visible unless I am using the jutsu."

Naruto nodded.

"Now, I need a little of your blood in here," the Hokage said, gesturing to the bowl with the ink.

Naruto pulled a kunai from his pouch. "How much?"

"Not much. A few drops," Minato replied.

Naruto sliced his left thumb much too deeply and held it over the bowl.

"I said just a few drops!" Minato exclaimed, alarmed by the gash his son had inflicted on himself.

"Gomen, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied in an even tone, his eyes on the bowl. "If it's not deep, it will heal before it can bleed enough."

And, Minato noticed, it wasn't really bleeding as much as it should have been. Only a couple drops had fallen and Naruto now pressed the fingers of his left hand against his thumb, below the cut, squeezing a few more out.

"That's enough," Minato said.

Naruto drew his hand back and absently licked the wound while watching the Hokage mix the blood and ink together with the brush.

"Turn around," Minato commanded. "I'm putting it on the back of your neck."

Naruto complied and tilted his head towards the floor. With his left hand, Minato pulled the collar of Naruto's shirt down and with his right, he began to paint the seal. Blood seals were the strongest seals that didn't require the life of the user. Nothing would disrupt it and it would be forever embedded in Naruto's skin, bound by his blood.

When the Hokage was done, he set the brush down and placed his hand over the new seal, careful not to smudge the wet ink. He channeled a little chakra into the markings and they began to glow a soft yellow. He removed his hand and watched, satisfied, as the yellow faded and the marks disappeared.

"There, all done." He released Naruto's collar. No trace of the seal was visible. "Alright, Naruto. You officially have my permission to use Training Ground 44 to practice your kekkei genkai."

Naruto turned and bowed. "Arigatou, Hokage-sama." He straightened up and rubbed the back of his head, glancing out the window at the lowering sun. "Would it be ok if I used it today? For…uh…an hour?"

Minato blinked. "Right now?"

"Uh…yeah."

The older blonde thought about it for a minute. "Yes, that would be fine." Naruto looked…relieved. He sent his son a sharp look. "Does this have anything to do with why you are so flighty today?"

"Flighty?"

"Aa, you've been staring off into space and fidgeting since you got here."

Naruto looked down at his hands, one of which was, completely without his knowledge, fiddling with the weapons pouch strapped to his leg. He quickly stuck both hands behind his back, as if to hide them from Minato's gaze.

"Gomen, Hokage-sama," he said, looking down.

It was obvious, from the way he stood and the look on his face, not to mention his earlier insistence that nothing was wrong, that he didn't really want to talk about whatever it was. And when he didn't want to talk about something, when he looked ashamed and slightly guilty, it usually meant it had to do with his demon half. Minato narrowed his eyes a little. His son had been in the village…almost four weeks now?

"Naruto," he said, softly, gently, but firmly. "Do you need to hunt?"

Naruto didn't answer at first, but Minato didn't miss the way his whole body stiffened or how his breath caught a little at the question. Silence. Minato waited.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," he said at last, so quietly Minato almost didn't hear it.

Minato laid his hands on his son's shoulders. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, musuko," he murmured. He hated, _hated_, how his normally happy, confident son grew quiet and timid when it came to his demon half.

Naruto brought his gaze up, searching the Hokage's face. He smiled hesitantly. "Thank you, otou-sama," he said, just as quietly.

Minato smiled and ruffled his hair. "You'd better get going; you've only got one hour."

Naruto smiled again, this one a little more cheerful. "Hai, Hokage-sama." He bowed and left.

Minato stared after him a minute, then turned to watch out the window as the black-and-orange-clad figure exited the Tower and took to the rooftops, aiming for the Forest of Death.

* * *

Hinata pushed open the door to Tenten's family's weapons shop. It was close to closing time, which meant that Tenten would have time to talk. The only reason she hadn't spoken to her friend about Naruto yet was because she didn't know what she was feeling the first week, and then Tenten had been gone on a mission the week after that. So after she reported to her father and got his permission, she made a beeline for the store.

"Hinata!" The brown-haired kunoichi came around the counter and embraced her friend. Hinata returned the hug. Tenten was almost two years older than her, and she considered her an older sister.

Tenten returned to her perch behind the cash register and resumed polishing her shuriken. "So what's up?"

Hinata darted a glance to the door, hesitant to talk about something so private in a public place. "Something happened today…" she trailed off, looking down.

Tenten put the cloth and weapon down with a _clunk_ on the glass counter. She looked at the Hyuuga seriously. "Did Neji do something again? I swear, that boy--"

"No!" Hinata replied. Her relationship with her cousin was…strained to say the least, but this time she wasn't venting about that. "It's nothing bad…" she trailed off again as a blush formed, _again_. She was blushing just _thinking_ about Naruto!

"Oh ho!" Tenten exclaimed. "Nothing bad, and you're blushing!" She leaned towards her dark-haired friend eagerly. "Is it about a boy?"

Hinata only blushed darker and nodded.

Tenten let out a whoop, startling the younger woman. She rushed around the counter again, grabbed Hinata's hands, and spun her around.

"Tenten!" she exclaimed, a little breathless.

"I'm just excited is all! Your first crush!"

"Shhh, Tenten," Hinata pleaded, glancing at the door once again.

The older girl laughed at the Hyuuga's reaction, but she did lower her voice. "I'll close up, and we'll go talk in my room, ok?"

"You don't have to close early--"

"Nah," Tenten waved her concern away. "It's practically closing time anyway. And Dad's not here to know the difference."

She started on the task of closing the store, Hinata helping.

Soon, the girls retreated up the stairs that led to Tenten's home above the shop. It was only her and her father, her mother having died years before. It was much smaller and much less traditional then the Hyuuga compound, and Hinata loved it. It was so much more…cozy.

The girls kicked off their shoes just inside the entrance. Tenten stopped in the kitchen and grabbed two fruit juices and some snacks. Then she herded Hinata to her room and shut the door. Hinata settled on the bed and tucked her knees under her chin. Tenten sat cross-legged in front of her. She handed Hinata one of the juice drinks and opened up the pretzel bag. She offered it to Hinata, who took a few. Tenten grabbed some for herself, then turned wide brown eyes on her friend. "So," she began, leaning forward. "Spill."

Hinata smiled and began to talk. "Well, you remember the new ninja?"

Tenten nodded. "Naruto-kun? Yeah." Her eyes lit up. "You have a crush on _him_?"

Hinata nodded and blushed again.

Tenten laughed. "Well, he's pretty cute, and he's really nice. And he has big hands." She grinned wickedly at Hinata.

The Hyuuga heiress blinked. "Big hands?" She supposed he did…bigger than hers anyways. Her blush grew darker as she remembered the feel of his hand enveloping hers--warm, a little rough from handling weapons, like all ninja.

Tenten was laughing again. "You know what they say; big hands, big…" she trailed off and winked at the younger kunoichi.

It took Hinata a moment, but when she realized what the older girl was insinuating, she blushed even harder. "Tenten!" she squeaked. The other girl only laughed harder. "I-I don't know about that," she said, "but I did…I did see him, today…"

Tenten's laughter cut off and she stared at the Hyuuga. "You saw him naked?" she gasped. "I knew it! Neji denies it, but I knew you Hyuuga could see--"

Hinata laughed despite her embarrassment. "No, no, it's not like that." She proceeded to tell Tenten about her long look at a barely-clothed Naruto.

Tenten was practically squealing with glee by the end of the tale. "Oh, I can't believe you fainted!" she said.

"Well, it's not the first time," Hinata mumbled, blushing again, but this time at her own weakness.

"Eh?" Tenten said, eyebrow quirked. "Not the first time?"

So, Hinata told her about the 'hand incident', as she'd dubbed it.

Tenten laughed all over again. "You'll have to be careful, Hinata. Too much fainting and he'll think you're sick or something!"

Hinata sighed. "I know. Why can't I just act normally around him? I stutter and blush and it's like I'm twelve again."

Tenten smiled. "Because you like him, and you're shy. Just give it time. I'm sure it'll get better."

The black-haired girl smiled tentatively at her friend. Tenten always managed to make her feel better.

The weapons master continued. "So, what, exactly, do you like about him?"

Hinata took a sip of her juice and smiled. "He's so handsome. His smile...and his eyes!" She was getting into the topic now, relieved to finally be telling someone about it. "They're like the sky! They're so beautiful, and so expressive! He doesn't hide his feelings, like most shinobi try to do. And I think…I think that's really brave." She took another sip of juice. "And he's cheerful, and funny, and friendly. And determined! I noticed when he trained with us. He didn't always get things right away, but he kept trying, even though Kiba made fun of him."

Tenten looked thoughtful. "Aa," she said slowly. "I didn't really notice before, but he did the same thing with us." She sighed. "I just laughed at him, but he did try really hard. Some of those exercises Neji had us doing were horribly complicated. And Neji…" she trailed off and sighed again. "Neji wasn't exactly nice when he messed up. He forgets that not everybody is a genius."

Hinata nodded. Her cousin was terribly cold and distant. He didn't raise his voice, or even say very much, but he didn't need to. He could cut a person down with just a few sharp, well-chosen words. She knew; he'd done it to her too many times to count.

Tenten gave a little laugh. "Although, Gai-sensei would say Naruto is a genius of hard work."

Hinata smiled at that. "Aa." She paused. "And he doesn't just train during the day. He trains most nights, sometimes until midnight."

Tenten looked at her curiously. "Oh? And how do you know that?"

Hinata fidgeted. "You know I have trouble sleeping sometimes. Well, I was sitting by my window, and I-I noticed…" She blushed a little and looked down. "I noticed Naruto-kun in the grounds by the compound, working on team formations."

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "You just _happened_ to notice him, eh? I suppose your Byakugan just _accidentally_ activated while you were _glancing_ in that general direction?" She was grinning mischievously, enjoying making the younger girl squirm.

Hinata's blush darkened. So what if she had been using her kekkei genkai to…look around? It wasn't like she was spying or anything…really. "That's not the point, Tenten," she said, trying to get the conversation back where she wanted it--on Naruto and not her. "He worked very hard, to get things right." She sighed.

"How was he doing team exercises by himself?"

"Shadow clones. And Hokage-sama was with him."

Tenten blinked. "Really? The Hokage? That's odd…" She grinned. "More evidence to support my hypothesis!"

"Hypothesis?"

Tenten nodded enthusiastically. "Naruto-kun is Hokage-sama's secret lovechild!"

Hinata blinked at her friend, then blinked again and burst out laughing.

Tenten pouted. "What? It's a perfectly valid theory." She held up one finger. "He looks just like Hokage-sama." She held up another. "He has wind affinity, like Hokage-sama." Another. "Hokage-sama helps him train."

Hinata waved her hands. "No, no, it's not what you said, but how you said it. 'Secret lovechild'," she repeated and started giggling again.

Tenten smiled. "Well, when you put it that way..." and she dissolved into giggles too.


	13. Settling In

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 13

_**Settling In**_

Naruto plucked a rice ball wrapped in nori from the box in his lap and chewed it happily. It was lunch time and he was once again seated on top of one of the three posts in TG 7. It was fast becoming his favorite place to sit. His teammates were seated around the other posts, also eating. Hisa had taken to packing him bento in the mornings, for which he was very grateful. He'd go broke pretty quick if he ate out with Bushy Brows all the time.

He popped another rice ball in his mouth and cast a glance around the area. The river sparkled in the sun's light, and the breeze tossed the tops of the trees. The small Konoha flag behind the posts fluttered.

Naruto tilted his head. He'd been meaning to ask...

"Ne, Sensei, what's that?" he asked, pointing with his chopsticks.

"It's a flag, Naruto," Kakashi replied from his seat against a tree trunk, not glancing up from his book. He'd spent all of lunch reading, which disappointed the young blonde. He'd hoped to see the jonin's face while he ate.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I know _that_. What's it there for?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Go look."

Naruto huffed, but jumped down from the post. He set his lunch on the ground and headed into the trees, following a sort of path that wound through some bushes until it reached a small opening.

The flagpole stood at the far edge, with a white, square stone at its base. As Naruto got closer, he could see lines of names, filling part of the front and one side of the stone. He knelt and traced a few with his fingers.

_...Mitsukuni Oya...Aburame Sho..._

He felt Kakashi come up behind him, followed by Sasuke and Sakura. "Who are these people?" he asked.

"The greatest heroes of Konoha," his teacher replied, voice unusually serious.

_...Kondo Nana...Uchiha Obito..._

Naruto opened his mouth, but then closed it again. He wanted to be a hero too, but the way Kakashi was acting told him these ninja didn't just complete important missions or kill dangerous enemies to earn their spot on the stone.

"What did they do?" he finally asked.

It was Sakura who answered. "They died in the line of duty," she said solemnly.

_...Takahashi Akihiro...Shimizu Chika..._

"Several of these memorial stones are scattered around the village, at the main training grounds and the cemetery," the kunoichi continued. "So we will never forget our comrades and what it is we are fighting for."

Naruto continued to trace the names for a few moments before he decided.

_...Inuzuka Rin...Umino Madoka..._

"I'd like my name up here someday," he said. Silence from behind him. He turned to look at his new teammates. Sakura looked surprised, and Kakashi and Sasuke were practically boring holes in his head with the weight of their gazes. He blinked a few times. "What? Everyone dies. So why not want to die protecting my home?" He smiled. "And it'd be nice to be remembered as a hero."

More silence. He stood and stretched. "Thanks, Sensei, for showing me this." He glanced at the sun's position. "Ah! Lunch is almost over! And I'm not finished!" He took off back to the posts, leaving three ninja staring after him.

* * *

Ino shut the cabinet door with a _click_. She glanced over the rest of the kitchen from her place on the floor, feeling satisfied. The last of the supplies for Naruto's new apartment were now put away, and the room was looking good.

Naruto hadn't been joking when he'd told her he didn't have much stuff. All of his worldly possessions were sealed away in six storage scrolls that he carried in a small brown pack. Most of it was clothing, ninja supplies, and camping gear. He only had a handful of more personal items: a few pictures and posters, a few souvenirs from places like Tsuki no Kuni and Tanzaku Gai, and a book.

The book caught her attention when Naruto unsealed it, because the cover was worn and the pages were dog-eared, like it was read often. When she asked about it, he smiled, said it was something his mother gave him, and placed it carefully on the cupboard next to his bed. Its title was "Tales of a Gutsy Ninja."

It had been obvious to Ino from the beginning that they would need to go shopping. When she mentioned it to Naruto, he looked confused. She explained about his lack of linens and dishes and cleaning supplies. He said he didn't need that stuff, except maybe the cleaning supplies. She dragged him to the nearest shopping district anyway. She was _not_ going to let him use his sleeping bag and his camping pot and call it good.

And, much to her surprise, shopping with Naruto had been fun. In the beginning, she'd felt obligated to help Naruto because she felt guilty. Now, she realized she liked spending time with her fellow blonde. Sure, he could be loud and obnoxious, but he was one of the nicest, friendliest people she'd ever met.

Ino chewed on her lip, thinking again of what she'd seen in his mind. She couldn't figure out why he thought so poorly of himself. She could only assume it had to do with whatever bad experiences he'd had, and she wouldn't find out about those unless he told her. She wanted him to. She wanted to help him improve his view of himself. After all, what are friends for?

Naruto came into the kitchen just then. "Hey! I'm done in the bedroom..." He trailed off at the serious expression on her face. "Ino-chan? What's wrong?"

She shook her head a little. "Nothing, I just..." She might as well be straightforward. Subtlety was lost on Naruto. "I was just thinking, about what I saw in your mind."

She didn't miss the stiffening of his shoulders, but he said nothing.

"I don't understand it. I don't understand why you see yourself as some sort of scary monster." She paused. The tension in his frame increased. "Because you aren't." He blinked and bit his lip. "But there has to be some reason you think you are. Whatever that reason is, if you ever need to talk about it, I'll listen." She smiled at him.

And it took him a minute, his expression hard to decipher, but he smiled back. "Thanks," he said, softly.

She nodded.

"Ne, Ino-chan?" Naruto said after a few moments, looking thoughtful.

"Yes?"

"Do you wanna train together sometime? I'm not the only person with shields out there, ya' know." He tapped his temple and grinned.

She grinned back. "I'd like that." She lifted her hands. "Now, help me up." She didn't need any help, and they both knew it, but that wasn't the point.

Naruto's smile widened and he stepped forward. There was no flinch or hesitation on her part, this time, when his warm hands closed over hers. He pulled her to her feet in one swift motion and she squeezed his hands a little before dropping them.

"Let me show you where I put everything..."

* * *

Naruto looked around curiously as he entered the Academy grounds. Having never had the experience, he found it strange that there was actually a school for ninja. But his father wanted him to learn more about the history and laws of Konoha, and had arranged for a teacher here to tutor him now that the taijutsu scroll was done.

Jiraiya had tried to teach him some of that stuff, but Naruto hadn't really cared about most of it at the time. He was interested in getting stronger so his father would accept him. The stuff he _had_ wanted to know, Jiraiya wouldn't say much about, and Naruto didn't want to press too hard for fear of raising suspicions. But now that he had a tutor...maybe he could get the information he needed.

Classes had not let out for the day yet, so he loitered in the yard, scuffing at the dirt, hands in his pockets. He found himself under a tree with a lone swing dangling from it. He gave a little smile, sat down, and pushed off with his feet.

He had always liked to swing; it gave him a sense of freedom. His mother never let him do such frivolous things, though, so he'd only watched jealously from the side as other kids played, being pushed by parents or older siblings. Once he was on his own, he did it all the time. He found it to be a pleasant distraction from his loneliness, and he could almost convince himself he didn't care that his mother was gone.

A rush of loud voices caught his attention, and he realized school was over as a flood of children came pouring out of the Academy building. He stood, hands in pockets again, and ambled over to the door. He wasn't paying a whole lot of attention, wondering what his new teacher would be like, so he didn't really notice the stares from the kids until he heard a loud squeal right in front of him. "Sugoi! So pretty!"

He halted and looked down, to find two children blocking his path. He blinked. "Uhhh...hi?"

More squealing, from a young girl with hazel eyes and light brown hair tied up in pigtails. She yelled, "Hi, Pretty!"

Naruto blinked again. _Pretty?_

Before he could say anything, a hand tugged at his sleeve. He looked towards the other child; a black-haired boy with gray eyes, pale skin, and a large Uchiha crest on the front of his T-shirt. "Is the Hokage your dad? 'Cause you look just like him."

"Aa! You have pretty hair and pretty eyes, like Yondy-sama!" the pigtailed girl added.

Naruto's mouth dropped open. These brats were maybe seven or eight years old, and they'd asked him _that_? No one else had the entire time he'd been in the village! Now he was going to have to lie, and he never liked that.

But he was saved when another voice called from across the yard. "Kouta! Etsuko-chan!"

Naruto turned towards the sound, while the boy-Kouta, apparently-waved excitedly at the newcomer. He had the same coloring as Kouta, but was obviously older. He wore a hitai ite and a dark shirt with Uchiha crests lining the long sleeves. He stalked up to the small group and crossed his arms, looking annoyed. "What are you doing?"

Kouta pointed excitedly at Naruto. "Don't you think he looks like Yondy-sama? He could be his son, ne?"

The newcomer regarded Naruto coolly for a moment. Then, he smacked the younger boy in the head. "Baka," he said. "If he was related to Yondaime-sama, he would have said so."

"Hey!" Kouta rubbed his head and scowled at his elder. "You didn't have to hit me," he said sulkily. "Besides, maybe he hasn't said anything 'cause it's a secret!"

"If it is, he can't tell _you_, can he?" the older Uchiha replied.

The younger boy opened his mouth to retort, but hesitated. He frowned. "Oh."

The older boy sighed in a very put-out manner.

The girl giggled and pointed at Naruto's face. "'Sides. He has whiskers and Yondy-sama doesn't." She said it with a certain finality, as if that settled the matter. She tilted her head in a ridiculously cute fashion. "Why do you have whiskers? Are you a cat?" She giggled again.

Naruto shook his head a little and grinned to hide his utter bemusement. "Uh, no, not a cat. They're just birthmarks."

The older Uchiha rolled his eyes at the girl. "Honestly, Etsuko-chan." He recrossed his arms in front of his chest and looked pointedly at Naruto again. "I've never seen you before."

Naruto chuckled at the boy's attitude. It reminded him of Sasuke; it must run in the family. "I'm a new chuunin here."

"Hn." The boy evaluated him a moment more, then gave a stiff bow. "I am Uchiha Isamu. This is my brother, Uchiha Kouta." The younger boy grinned and bowed. "And his friend, Shimizu Etsuko." The girl bowed, giggling the whole time.

Naruto bowed slightly in return. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Isamu replied gravely. "What brings you to the Academy, Uzumaki-san?"

Naruto grinned. "Just Naruto is fine, Isamu-kun," he said, ignoring the way the Uchiha bristled a little at the familiar address. "I'm looking for Umino Iruka."

Kouta and Etsuko lit up like little beacons.

"Oh!" Etsuko exclaimed. "Iruka-sensei is our teacher! We can take you to him!" She grabbed Naruto's hand and started tugging.

"Yeah!" Kouta agreed and grabbed Naruto's other hand.

"Kouta," Isamu said exasperatedly. "We have to get home. Kaa-san is waiting for us."

"Aww, come on, nii-san," Kouta whined, turning to his brother with a pout. "It won't take long! Besides, we have to help a comrade in need, ne?"

"I'm sure Uzumaki-san can find his own way perfectly well," the older Uchiha replied, through slightly gritted teeth.

"But it'll be easier if we show him! Please?"

"Yeah, please?" Etsuko added her own plea, accompanied by large puppy-dog eyes.

Isamu turned his head away. "Fine."

"Thanks nii-san!" Kouta tugged on Naruto's hand again. "Come on, Naruto-san!"

And the blonde let himself be pulled into the building.

* * *

Umino Iruka turned out to be a kind-faced chuunin with brown hair pulled into a spiky ponytail on top of his head and brown eyes that reminded Naruto of the liquid chocolate he'd once seen pouring out of a fountain in the window of a confectionary.

He liked the man immediately.

After their introductions, and after Isamu finally got Kouta and Etsuko away, Iruka smiled warmly at the younger chuunin and said, "Yondaime-sama tells me you are a hands-on learner, Naruto-kun."

Naruto just nodded, not really sure what that meant. But it sounded apt, and if his father had said it, it must be true.

"Unfortunately, history and law aren't necessarily hands-on types of subjects, but we'll do the best we can, alright?"

Naruto nodded again.

Iruka handed him a small scroll. Inside, he found a neatly written schedule. "This is my outline for our time together," Iruka explained. "Obviously, it is subject to change depending on how quickly you learn the material and your mission load."

Naruto scanned the contents and perked up a little. Iruka had planned several trips to cool-sounding places like the Mission Office and the Hokage Archive, which meant he wouldn't be stuck in a classroom the whole time.

But then he frowned. "Iruka-sensei? What's this?" He tapped at a spot on the scroll that read 'Essay: True or False: The outcome of the Second Great Shinobi War led directly to the Third Great Shinobi War. Support your position in 500 words or less.'

Iruka chuckled. "That's your homework, Naruto-kun." He ignored Naruto's gasp of horror. "I have listed all your assignments in the schedule."

Naruto slumped down in his chair and stared despondently at the scroll. He had to give up _more_ valuable training time to do _work_ at _home_? Even worse, this extra work seemed to consist of _writing _and-he looked at the schedule again-_reading_!

But Iruka only smiled at him in a knowing way, hands on his hips. "It may seem like a lot, but I won't ask you do the work without rewarding you for it." He paused, making sure he had the blonde's attention. "If you complete your assignments to my satisfaction, I'll treat you to ramen."

Naruto sat straight up in his chair and gave his new favorite teacher a brilliant smile. "Yosh!" he declared. "I'll do it, Iruka-sensei!" he exclaimed. "I'll write the best-" he glanced down at the scroll to remind himself of the unfamiliar word "-essays you've ever seen!"

Iruka laughed at the sudden enthusiasm and nodded. "Aright, Naruto-kun." He sat in one of the chairs next to the blonde. "Now, I want you to tell me everything you know about the time before the Hidden Villages existed..."

* * *

The attack came the next day.

Naruto sat in his father's office, waiting for the Hokage to finish his paperwork before they had dinner. He was perched on the couch next to the wall, engrossed in his first assignment-a book about the founders of Konoha-when he caught an unfamiliar heartbeat approaching rapidly. He raised his head and stared at the wall, his eyes tracking the heartbeat's progress in the hall outside. It seemed...young.

His father had noticed his movement. "Naruto?" he questioned.

"Someone's coming," the teen said.

The Hokage slid his gaze to the door and a moment later it burst open. A figure darted into the room, brandishing a kunai. "Fight me, Yellow Flash!" it cried as it sprinted for the desk.

Naruto acted on instinct. He'd risen to his feet as soon as the door was flung open, the book falling, forgotten, to the floor with a _thunk_. In the next instant he disappeared from his spot by the couch, moving in a blur to place himself between his father and the attacker, although he left the Hokage a clear line of sight to the figure. With a flick of his wrist, the kunai hidden under his sleeve popped into his right hand and he settled into a defensive crouch.

It didn't matter that his father's only reaction was to sigh and shake his head, or that the ANBU guarding the room hadn't made any move to stop the person. It didn't matter that Naruto himself didn't think the figure posed much of a threat. All that mattered was that someone was attacking the Hokage. And he _would not_ allow it.

His assessment of the threat proved correct a moment later when, about halfway into the room, the attacker tripped on his ridiculously long scarf and fell over.

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, doing his best not to laugh, and rose out of his crouch, although he kept the kunai in his hand. The blonde studied the attacker as he picked himself up off the floor. The boy was probably 11 or 12 and had dark spiky hair that stuck straight up off his head and dark eyes. His cheeks were an unusually deep shade of red, and Naruto wondered for a moment if he was ill. He wore a tan coat with a dark brown strip running down the front and dark pants. The strange scarf was a dull green-blue. Naruto narrowed his eyes a little at the Leaf hitai ite tied around the boy's forehead. He was most likely a gennin, but what gennin would actually challenge the Hokage?

The boy spoke. "Who set that trap?" he demanded. Dark eyes swept around the room and settled on the young blonde in front of the desk. "It was you wasn't it?" he said, pointing an accusatory finger at Naruto.

Naruto couldn't hold it in this time and he burst out laughing. "Baka! What trap? You tripped on your scarf. I had nothing to do with it."

The gennin in front of him snarled a little and clenched his fists. "Don't laugh at me," he hissed.

Naruto shrugged. "Don't do funny things," he replied, grinning.

"Who are you?" the gennin asked, still sounding angry.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the blonde said, with a little bow. "Although, it is customary to introduce yourself first when speaking to your elders. And betters."

The gennin made an angry sound in his throat. "Stand aside, Uzumaki-san," he said.

Naruto shook his head a little. Was he serious? "No."

"Then I'll have to go through you!" The gennin sprang forward again.

Naruto sighed. He didn't know who this kid was, but he needed to be taught a lesson. He quickly shifted the kunai to his left hand and grabbed the boy's wrist with his right hand, easily evading the kunai the kid tried to stab him with. He spun on his right foot, using the gennin's own momentum to shove him-lightly-into the Hokage's desk. The gennin let out a surprised _oof_ as the air was driven from his lungs and he doubled over, almost hitting his head on the wood. While he was still too shocked to move, Naruto completed his spin, planting his left foot on the other side of the boy's legs and easily twisting the boy's right arm up behind him. He quickly changed his grip before the kid could react and pointed the kid's own kunai, still in his hand, at the back of his neck. Naruto hooked his left arm around the gennin's shoulder and brought his kunai up to the boy's throat. The kid was effectively trapped. He struggled a little, and Naruto let him, until his struggles brought him into contact with one of the kunai. He froze at the feel of the cold metal against his skin.

"Now, gennin-chan," Naruto said, smirking at the angry huff he heard from the boy. "Well, you never gave me a name, so what else should I call you?"

"Konohamaru," the boy mumbled.

"That's better. Now, what are you doing attacking the Hokage?"

"I will be the Hokage! Everyone will have to acknowledge me then!"

Naruto blinked at the boy in his grasp. "You are attacking Hokage-sama because you want to be the Hokage? That's ridiculous!"

"No it isn't!"

"Of course it is!" Naruto replied, a little more harshly. This kid needed a serious attitude adjustment. "Never once has the title of Hokage passed to someone because they defeated the previous Hokage in battle. Every single Hokage got the title because they were chosen to be the successor. They earned the right to that title by being the strongest and the best."

"Exactly!" Konohamaru cried. "If I defeat Yondaime-sama, then I prove I am the best ninja in the village! They'll have to make me Hokage!"

Naruto shook his head. The founders had very strong opinions on what exactly the Hokage position entailed. He'd just read about it. "No, no, no. You don't prove you're the best by beating the Hokage in a fight. You prove you're the best by working hard _for_ the Hokage. By becoming strong so you can protect the village. _Then_ you earn the right to be the Hokage." He sighed. "Besides, how could you possibly beat Hokage-sama as you are now? You can't even beat me, and I'm just a chuunin. You obviously have a long way to go, Konohamaru-chan."

"Don't call me chan!" the gennin said. Naruto chuckled. It was too easy to rile the boy up. It reminded him of...himself.

"I'll stop calling you that when you stop acting like a little kid," he said, seriously. "You are a gennin of the Leaf. Act like it. And the first thing you should do is apologize to Hokage-sama."

A brief pause. "What?" Konohamaru said. He apparently wasn't expecting that.

Naruto sighed again. "Attacking Hokage-sama is not only silly, it's incredibly disrespectful. And treasonous. He could have you punished. Apologize."

Konohamaru spluttered a little.

"I'm not letting you go until you apologize," Naruto said.

Konohamaru was silent for a few moments, then mumbled something, his eyes on the desk.

"I don't think Hokage-sama heard you," Naruto admonished.

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama!" Konohamaru said loudly.

The Hokage had been watching the proceedings with surprise at first, but that had quickly been replaced by amusement. Before he had a chance to respond, though, a voice called out from the open doorway.

"Honorable grandson!"

Naruto turned his head to see a man dressed in black shinobi garb with a black bandana on his head and round sunglasses. The man was staring at the tableau before him in shock.

"Who are you? What are you doing?" the strange ninja spluttered.

"It's fine, Ebisu-san," the Hokage said smoothly. "Konohamaru-kun was just apologizing for his behavior." Ebisu's eyebrows rose out from behind his glasses while the Hokage refocused on the boy before him. "Apology accepted."

His father gave a little nod, and Naruto released the boy he was holding, stepped away, and slid his kunai back under his sleeve. Konohamaru moved away from the desk too, rubbing his arm and scowling fiercely.

"I've never seen you before," he said sulkily to Naruto.

"I'm a new chuunin," the young blonde replied. He tilted his head. "Honorable grandson?"

Konohamaru scowled again, but it was Ebisu that answered.

"Konohamaru-kun is the grandson of the Sandaime Hokage, the great Sarutobi Hiruzen, who gave his life to protect this village from the Demon Fox," he said reverently. "You would do well to show him the respect he deserves!"

Naruto turned wide eyes on the boy next to him. _This? This is Sandaime-sama's grandson? Oh…_

Konohamaru _hmphed_ and crossed his arms over his chest. "What? Afraid of me now?" Then he lowered his voice. "You're just like all the others," he mumbled, more to himself than Naruto.

But of course, Naruto still heard him. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Baka," he said and smacked Konohamaru in the back of his head. "Like I care about that!"

Ebisu stared. Konohamaru stared. The Hokage laughed. Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest and cocked an eyebrow at the young gennin.

"Alright, Ebisu-san, please take Konohamaru-kun back to whatever he was doing before this little visit. I have paperwork to finish."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the jonin said, still sounding somewhat stunned. He crossed to the young ninja, grabbed him by the arm, and half-dragged him out the door. Konohamaru kept staring at Naruto the entire time, eyes wide in surprise.

Naruto waved to him as he left. The young blonde grinned and went back to the couch. He picked the book up from the floor, found his place again and began reading. But after a few moments, he looked up. His father was staring at him, a bemused smile on his face. "Did you need something, Hokage-sama?" he asked.

The Yondaime only shook his head and went back to his paperwork.

* * *

Two days later, Konohamaru stood hidden behind the trunk of a tree, watching the new ninja, Uzumaki Naruto, train. The chuunin had been on his mind constantly since they'd met. The minute Ebisu-sensei had let his team go yesterday, he had made a beeline for the Tower. It wasn't too hard to get Hisa to talk to him, and he'd found out quite a bit about the young blonde. He learned that Uzumaki had just moved from the Tower to an apartment, that he usually trained first thing in the morning, and that the Hokage seemed quite pleased with him thus far. A conversation with the gate guards had been less fruitful, but they'd still told him in awed and shocked voices that Uzumaki sometimes met Rock Lee for his morning training. Konohamaru thought they were joking, but they assured him it was the truth. Other ninja proved to be even less helpful, most not having heard of him at all. But he'd hit a jackpot with his Uncle Asuma. The jonin had seemed amused when Konohamaru told him what happened in the Hokage's office, and he'd been more than willing to discuss the new ninja. Uzumaki had apparently trained with his uncle's team for an entire week. The chuunin had wind chakra, like Asuma and the Hokage, and he knew a really cool forbidden jutsu.

Konohamaru had the next day off, so it was with all this information in mind that he set himself the mission of following one Uzumaki Naruto.

He'd assumed the chuunin would stick to his routine, so he stationed himself at the apartment building _very_ early. When the blonde ninja emerged, Konohamaru followed him to the training area. He was alone; Konohamaru was only thankful this was not one of the mornings he trained with Lee.

The gennin had hoped to see the forbidden jutsu his uncle talked about, and he wasn't disappointed. After warming up, the blonde placed his hands in an unfamiliar seal, like a cross, and murmured something. A clone popped into existence, but it wasn't an ordinary clone. It was solid. Konohamaru had never seen anything like it, although Ebisu-sensei had mentioned solid clones from time to time. Usually they were made of things like water or earth. He didn't know what this one was made of.

The two Uzumakis then began to spar. They started with taijutsu. Naruto went through three clones and then switched to kenjutsu. Not many ninja in Konoha used katanas, so Konohamaru had never really seen that style of fighting before. He was totally blown away.

Uzumamki dispatched his clone with a nasty-seeming slice to the gut and paused. He slid his sword back into its sheath and pulled a water bottle from one of his pouches. Konohamaru wondered if he should say something, when the older teen spoke.

"You can come on out, Konohamaru-chan."

The gennin froze momentarily, but then stepped proudly out from behind the tree. "So, you could sense my presence. The rumors of your prowess are not exaggerated."

The older ninja rolled his eyes a little at the theatrics, but he grinned. "What'cha doin' here, Konohamaru-chan?" He didn't sound annoyed or angry, just curious.

Konohamaru had originally followed the new ninja simply to learn more about him, but since watching the blonde train, he had a new goal. "Can I see your sword?" he blurted out.

Naruto blinked at him in surprise, but then shrugged. "Sure. Come here."

Konohamaru eagerly dashed over. The blonde pulled the sword from his back and held it out to the younger ninja, the blade parallel to the ground. "Just be careful."

The dark-haired boy nodded and grasped the weapon. He examined it closely, running one finger lightly over the hilt. It had black threads tightly wrapped around it in a way that left several small, diamond-shaped openings running down its length. The openings were black too, but had a different texture than the threads. "Naruto-san, what's this?" he asked, indicating the openings.

"Samegawa," he replied. "Shark skin." He pointed to the threads. "This is the tsuka-ito. This is a practice sword, so it's just made of cotton. On my other sword it's silk." He took a drink of water, then continued. "This is the tsuba," he pointed to the round metal guard below the hilt, "and this is the habaki." He indicated another metal piece between the tsuba and the blade. Both were plain and unadorned. He chuckled. "There's various parts of the blade too, but you probably don't care too much about that."

Actually, Konohamaru _was_ interested, but he was distracted by something Naruto had said. "Other sword?"

Naruto grinned. "Aa." He tucked his water bottle away and pulled up the sleeve on his left arm. Then he turned the underside of his wrist towards Konohamaru. "See that?"

The gennin nodded, wide-eyed. An intricate seal was tattooed on the older teen's skin just above the edge of his glove.

"It's a storage seal. I just have to channel a little chakra…" he trailed off and suddenly, with a _poof_ and a small cloud of smoke, another katana appeared in the air above his wrist. Naruto caught it with a deft motion before it could fall to the ground. It made a slight ringing sound as he did. Konohamaru stared. _Sugoi!_

Naruto chuckled at his expression. "I'll take that one," he started, snagging his practice sword from Konohamaru's unresisting hand and sheathing it again in a swift motion. "You take this one." He handed the second katana to the gennin.

It was beautiful. The sheath was black and had red cord wound around it several times near the top. The tsuka-ito was black on this one too, but the samegawa was red. The tsuba was decorated with nine red spirals arranged in a circle. Unlike the familiar Konoha swirls, the outside ends of these straightened out somewhat. The straighter ends pointed inwards, towards the sword itself. The swirls were similar to the design Naruto had on the back of his shirt, or the Fire Country symbols Konohamaru saw around the village from time to time. He thought he'd seen something like it somewhere else too, but he couldn't remember where, so he went back to examining the katana. The habaki had a design on it too; it looked kind of like the kanji Konohamaru was used to, but it was different enough that he couldn't read it.

"Is this writing, Naruto-san?" he asked. The blonde nodded. "What language is it?"

"My mother's language." He hesitated slightly. "It says 'blood'. The other side says 'fire'."

"Oh." The younger boy turned the sword carefully in his hands and examined the writing on the other side. The ringing came again as he did, and his eyes were drawn to the source of the sound. A small silver bell was attached to the very end of the hilt by a red cord. He fingered it gently. "What's this?"

Naruto smiled. "Hokage-sama gave me a test before I could become a ninja here." He nodded at the bell. "I had to get that from him."

Konohamaru gaped. "And you did?" he squeaked, his voice several tones higher than normal in his surprise.

"Aa," the blonde replied, the smile never leaving his face.

Konohamaru was stunned. This ninja, _this _ninja had gotten a bell from Hokage-sama! Had done what Konohamaru had never managed to do…

"You…you _beat_ Hokage-sama?"

Naruto snorted. "Don't get so excited, Konohamaru-chan. It's not like he was using his full strength. The point of the fight wasn't to beat me, but to see my skill. If he'd wanted to, he could have finished me in an instant. But that wouldn't have given him an idea of my abilities, would it?"

Konohamaru shook his head reluctantly. "But still!" He watched the blonde for a moment or two, before making up his mind. This ninja was waaaay cooler than Ebisu. "I want you to teach me! I'll be your disciple! Ok, Chief?"

Naruto just stood, a look of surprise on his face. "Huh?" He blinked a couple times. "Ch-Chief?"

Konohamaru nodded vigorously. "Yeah! You can teach me all the jutsu you used to defeat Hokage-sama!"

Naruto chuckled. "So that's it…" he muttered. "Don't you already have a teacher?"

Konohamaru shrugged. "Four-eyes-sensei? He's been tutoring me since the Academy, and he's ok, I guess. He always says he's an 'elite teacher' and his way is the shortest path to being Hokage, but all he does is go on about the 'Eight Principles of the Shinobi' and stuff like that. He doesn't know cool jutsu like you do!"

"I'll bet he does. He's not a special jonin for nothing," the blonde replied, crossing his arms over his chest. He eyed Konohamaru with a piercing gaze. The gennin suddenly felt a little uncomfortable under that stare. "Why do you want to be Hokage so badly, anyway?"

Konohamaru opened his mouth to give his standard answer about 'acknowledgement', but closed it again, thinking hard. What did he really mean by that? He had the feeling that this ninja, with his intense eyes, would know if what he said was true or not.

"My name…is Konohamaru, right?" he started slowly. "I was named after the village. It was a name my grandfather liked…said it would bring the bearer luck." He snorted a little. "Everyone in the village knows that's my name. But no one ever calls me that. It's always just 'honorable grandson'." His gaze turned fierce. "No one ever sees me for who I am, just who I'm related to!" His voice rose. "I hate it!" He paused and continued in a quieter tone. "But if I'm Hokage, they'll _have_ to see me, they'll have to acknowledge who I am." He sniffed. "And the sooner the better."

Silence. A slight breeze stirred the branches and rustled the leaves of the trees around them.

Naruto was watching the boy in front of him with an odd expression on his face. Konohamaru couldn't place it, but he seemed almost…sad. Then the expression disappeared and was replaced by a smirk.

"Yare, yare. You'll never be Hokage with an attitude like that."

"Huh?" Konohamaru gaped at him.

Naruto shrugged. "That just seems like a selfish reason to be Hokage, is all. I don't think Yondaime-sama, or Sandaime-sama, became Hokage to get acknowledgement. I think they did it because they love this village and want to protect it. That's what it really means to be Hokage."

Konohamaru stared.

"Besides," the blonde continued, taking his katana back and resealing it, "this village is full of strong ninja. If you're going to be the strongest of all, if you're going to even _think_ of stepping into Yondaime-sama's shoes, you need to work really hard, for a long time. I've worked my ass off for my entire life, and I'm just a chuunin." That piercing gaze turned to the Sarutobi again, pinning him to the spot. "Do you understand, Konohamaru-chan? There is no 'shortest path.' And there is no time to waste on stupid attacks."

Konohamaru ducked his head. He wanted to be angry, but he couldn't, because he knew the blonde was right. The Yondaime had been putting up with his attacks since the Academy, even though they were dumb. He _could_ have had Konohamaru punished, at any time, but he never did. Konohamaru didn't know why that was, but he knew he could repay that kindness. He could show the Hokage, and the blonde in front of him, that he wasn't a little kid anymore.

He lifted his head and looked Naruto right in the eyes. "I understand," he said firmly.

And suddenly, Naruto was grinning at him, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. It was as though the past few moments hadn't happened at all.

"I don't have to meet my team for another hour, so how about I show you my own original technique? I used it against Jiraiya-sensei, and he was so impressed, he agreed to take me as his student."

"One of the Sannin?" Konohamaru squeaked, forgetting his seriousness in the face of a technique so amazing, it impressed a member of the Legendary Three. "Sugoi! Teach me!"

Naruto smirked. "Ok. I call it Orioke no Jutsu…"

* * *

"Please?"

"No."

"_Please_?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"_No_."

Sasuke resisted the urge to massage his temples in the hopes of easing the headache that was rapidly forming there. Why had he used a katon jutsu again? Oh, right. Because all his long-range raiton jutsus were basically _useless_ against the blonde. But as soon as the fire left his mouth, Naruto lost all interest in their spar. Instead, he'd started begging Sasuke to help him with his own fire manipulation.

"I'll bring you tomatoes."

Sasuke hesitated for a fraction of a second, before realizing that he was actually contemplating the offer. "NO!" He didn't want to deal with teaching his annoying teammate anything, even for his favorite food. How had Naruto known that anyway?

"C'mon Sasuke!"

"No."

Naruto huffed and looked away and Sasuke smirked. But then the blonde looked back at him with a sly expression and Sasuke was instantly on guard. That look couldn't be good.

"I'll keep bugging you, every day, until you agree." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke caved. "Fine," he muttered, looking away from his teammate as the blonde gave a loud shout of triumph. He could resist begging and bribing, but not torture. "Show me what you can do."

Naruto stopped cheering and blinked at him. "Now?"

"Yes, now. Dobe." Sasuke smirked again. He'd agreed, so he might as well make the best of it. And Kakashi was still busy teaching Sakura that earth jutsu.

Naruto scowled at him. "Jerk! Don't call me that!" But then his face turned serious and he lifted his right hand, palm up, to about chest height. "I can't do much," he said. "Just this..." And suddenly a small flame appeared, hovering over his palm. The blonde bounced it in his hand, as though it were a ball, then tossed it to his other palm. "It's not good for much, except lighting campfires." He sighed and clenched his hand in a fist, extinguishing the fire.

Sasuke fought to keep his face blank. The Uchiha had never seen anything like that before, but he was already thinking of the possibilities.

"And I can do this..." Naruto pulled his hand to his lips and inhaled. Sasuke could only stare, because it looked like the Goukakyuu, but...

Naruto exhaled and blew out what was unmistakably a fireball.

...how the hell had he done that without hand seals? Admittedly, it was much smaller and weaker than Sasuke's, but he couldn't deny it was a _fireball_ produced _without hand seals_. Even Itachi couldn't do that.

Naruto sighed again, oblivious to the way he was shocking his teammate to the core. "But that's about it. My mother can do really amazing things with fire, but I never got the hang of it."

"It would help if you used the seals," Sasuke said, using sarcasm to mask his astonishment.

Naruto didn't seem to notice. He nodded enthusiastically. "Aa! That's what I thought, too! So, can you show me?"

Sasuke gave in to his impulse and rubbed his temples. Then, he looked back at the eager face of his new teammate and found himself speaking. "Most katon utilize the tora sign..."

* * *

The Hokage hummed thoughtfully as he read Kakashi's report on his new team. Of course, Minato had already heard Naruto's opinion on the subject, but his student's account was much more comprehensive and professional than his son's.

"_...Individual abilities are in line with expectations and above the level of many of their peers. I have begun teaching Sakura suiton, since it's her primary element, and doton, to complement the boys' affinities. She learns quickly, as expected given her excellent chakra control and intelligence. _

"_Their real weakness is teamwork, also as expected. Their mission approaches are very different. Naruto tends to charge in without thinking a situation through, although his ability to create innovative plans on the fly is impressive."_

Minato thought of the test he gave his son and grinned. That was an understatement.

_"Sasuke plans things out ahead of time and doesn't think as creatively. Sakura always sides with Sasuke, even when she might have a dissenting opinion. This makes Naruto feel left out and defensive. He, in turn, sometimes goes ahead with his ideas in the middle of the exercise, if he feels they would work better, leaving his teammates scrambling to catch up. This annoys Sasuke and angers Sakura, even if the changes work. However, it could be dangerous on a real mission." _

Well, that was certainly true. It sounded like Team Kakashi needed to communicate better. Perhaps radios...and a little more trust. Minato sighed. The first was easy. The second was not.

"_Individual attitudes are not conducive to good teamwork. Sasuke is distant as usual..." _

Minato snorted a little. Naruto had complained that the Uchiha was 'just like Neji-a total jerk,' and asked if all geniuses were that way. Minato had wondered if maybe he should describe what Kakashi used to be like, but decided against it. He'd only assured his son that things could change.

"_...and Sakura is still as infatuated with Sasuke as when they were younger. She doesn't stalk him like she used to, though, nor does she ask him for a date every practice."_

Minato chuckled. Thank kami for small miracles.

"_Naruto has asked them to join him for ramen every day, and Sasuke has refused each time. Sakura has accepted once, I think more to get Naruto to stop bothering her than because she actually wanted to go. However, she did seem to enjoy herself, judging by her comments the next day."_

That was good to hear, since Naruto had had a great time. He hadn't stopped talking about it when Minato had joined him for training later that same evening.

"_Sasuke pretended to not pay attention, but he was interested in the conversation."_

Heh. Minato just bet he was. The Uchiha never went into the village if he could help it, and he rarely interacted with anyone other than his brother and Kakashi. Hopefully, spending time with Sakura and Naruto would help get him out of his cold shell.

"_Changes in these attitudes will take time and training can only do so much. However, Sasuke has agreed to work with Naruto on his fire manipulation, which is a step in the right direction."_

Minato had been surprised, but extremely happy, when Naruto told him about that.

"_This opens up the possibility for more sharing amongst the teammates, i.e. Sakura working with Naruto on genjutsu (see Note), and both boys working with Sakura on taijutsu and ninjutsu."_

Minato's eyes traveled to the note at the bottom of the page.

"_What is your plan regarding the Sharingan?"_

Hmmm...yes. Kurenai had suggested testing Naruto's interesting ability to resist genjutsu against the Sharingan. It would be a good idea to do it sooner rather than later. And not just because it was probably only a matter of time before Sasuke used it on his teammate. He would speak with Kakashi and Itachi.

"_In conclusion, Naruto is well-versed in most of the team formations now, and they all are used to working with each other. Recommend simple C-rank missions in or near the village to gain experience and build team bonds."_

Minato set the report down and smiled. He was glad Kakashi felt they were ready, because he actually had the perfect mission in mind.

* * *

Three figures dashed through the trees that surrounded Konohagakure. To the untrained eye, they appeared as blurs, their passage marked only by a momentary shift in shadows or the faint rustle of leaves.

"Targets approaching. Twenty meters."

The scratchy voice crackled from the earpieces all three figures wore, which were attached to the radios around their necks.

A fourth figure, following some distance behind them, replied. "Acknowledged. Take positions."

The three figures split away from each other with practiced precision. A few moments later, the radios crackled again.

"Ready one."

"Ready two."

"Ready three. Are we gonna do this or what?"

A faint chuckle. "All right. Go!"

And the figures sprang into action.

* * *

Yori peered at the surrounding trees anxiously. He could swear...

He poked his partner, Daiki. "Someone's watching us."

The larger man was crouched on the ground, pawing through a pack. He scoffed without looking up. "Come on. You're just being paranoid."

Yori shook his head, brown hair falling into his eyes. "I'm telling you-"

The other man cut him off. "Just knock it off, ok? We got a good haul today. I told you ninja villages had a lot of money."

Yori sighed. "Maybe, but it's not worth the risk. Ninja are dangerous."

"You complain like my grandma," Daiki muttered. "We haven't been caught, have we?"

Yori bit his lip. That was true, but still...

His partner continued. "So stop worrying, everything's fine."

No sooner had the words left his lips then everything stopped being fine. Very quickly.

Something blurred at the edge of Yori's vision and before he could even turn his head to look, he felt cold metal pressed to his throat. "Move and I kill you," an equally cold voice sounded in his ear.

Daiki wasn't faring any better. A young man had materialized, seemingly out of thin air, behind him. It wasn't until his partner slumped forward to the ground that Yori realized the person had rendered him unconscious with a motion too fast for his civilian eyes to see.

Yori was panicking, though he was still to shocked to move. He couldn't see his captor, but the one that had knocked Daiki out was visible. He had bright blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a drab green vest that sported the symbol of Konoha's police force-a shuriken with the Konoha leaf in front of it. And he had a Leaf hitai ite on his forehead. If it hadn't already been completely obvious, it was now.

Ninja.

Damn it, he hated being right sometimes.

A third figure appeared in front of him, a young woman with the same green vest, holding some sort of cord.

The cold voice spoke again. "Lift your hands. If you try anything..." The metal pressed harder into his neck, leaving no doubt as to the nature of the threat.

Yori did as he was told, letting the pink-haired woman bind his wrists tightly. He knew he couldn't win against ninja. He was a civilian thief, not a professional killer.

When she was done with him, she bound Daiki in a similar manner.

"Nod if you are Sato Yori," the cold voice demanded. The thief gave a small nod, not wishing to give the voice a reason to slit his throat. "And the other is Nakamura Daiki." Another small nod. The voice grunted.

The female ninja was examining the contents of their pack. She looked up at the other two and smiled. "Looks like it's all here," she said.

"Great!" the blonde replied with a dazzling smile of his own.

The pressure on Yori's neck eased, though the weapon wasn't lowered from its threatening position. He dared to turn his head, just enough to see his captor. The ninja was dark-haired and dark-eyed and wore a vest like the other two. His, though, sported an uchiwa fan in addition to the leaf outline. Yori's eyes widened. You couldn't spend any length of time in Konoha without knowing what that symbol meant.

The Uchiha lifted his free hand to a collar on his neck and spoke. "Targets captured."

He apparently got some sort of reply that Yori couldn't hear because he nodded and looked back over to the other three. "Let's go."

And then Yori felt a different sort of pressure in his neck, and he slid into darkness.

* * *

Naruto thankfully dropped his burden on the floor of the cell, not really caring if the man got a few bruises from the rough treatment. Bruises weren't a big deal, and the guy was _heavy_. But stupid Sasuke had taken the lighter of the two and made a few scathing remarks about Naruto's strength, so of course the blonde couldn't complain too much.

Anyways, the job was done now; another successful mission for Team Kakashi! He exited the cell, closing the door behind him and making sure it locked. They had been working for the police department for almost a week, and it was fun. He finally got to utilize the skills he'd worked so hard for and do something useful for his father. Watching Sasuke's older brother annoy the hell out of him was just icing on the cake.

The night before they started this mission, the Hokage had explained how the Uchiha had been policing Konoha for a long time and the Clan Head-currently Itachi-was the one in charge. But of course, since the Rebellion, there weren't enough Uchiha to staff it anymore, so other ninja did. Some were assigned permanently, and others rotated through. Most of the ninja in the village had worked on the police force at some point or other.

Team Kakashi's duties consisted of chasing down law-breakers and patrolling the village. That was Naruto's favorite part, strolling the streets, talking to people, keeping the peace. Sakura usually walked with him, but Sasuke always elected to stay on the rooftops. He said it was to have a better vantage point so no criminals escaped. It made sense, but Naruto still didn't like it. Sasuke always did that-separated himself from others, including his teammates. How was Naruto supposed to get close if Sasuke wouldn't let him?

He sighed as he left the building with Sasuke and Sakura, walking into the bright sunlight where Kakashi was waiting for them.

The jonin's eye crinkled up. "Good job team!" he exclaimed. "That's all for today. As you know, tomorrow is a rest day because of the festival. Sasuke, Naruto, I'll see you in the morning. Ja ne!" And he was gone in a swirl of leaves.

Right. Naruto had forgotten about that. Tomorrow was October 10th.

* * *

Author's Note:

_I apologize for my lateness. Thank you to everyone who read this anyway. _

_I would like to point out that the term 'Yondy-sama' is not mine. I lifted it unabashedly from an excellent fic called "Seal Shatter." Go read it._


	14. October 10th

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

Chapter 14

**_October 10th_**

Naruto woke before the sun rose. He blinked a few times and glanced out the window next to his bed. The sky was completely dark, save for a faint glow in the east. He groaned and turned over, burying his head back in his pillows. After a few moments, he tossed on his other side. Another few moments and he sat up with a snarl. He didn't actually _need_ to be awake for another few hours, and he didn't _want _to be awake either, but he knew sleep was a lost cause. The restless agitation that had kept him up half the night hadn't lessened any and was, in fact, worse.

He yawned and stretched, then ran his hands through his hair, rubbing at his scalp. What was this feeling? He let his hands fall to his lap and chewed his lip. Nervousness? It was kind of like that, but it was…sharper somehow. It was more than just nervousness, but not as much as fear. Anxiety, then.

He growled a little and threw his sheet aside as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Well, it didn't matter what it was; it was keeping him awake and it sucked. He stretched again when he stood and made his way to the bathroom. Since he was up, he could watch the sun rise and get a little training in before he had to get ready.

* * *

A few hours later, Naruto eyed his reflection in the mirror, a satisfied grin on face. He looked good, if he did say so himself. He was wearing his black and orange yukata, since he didn't have any other festival-worthy clothing, and his hitai ite was in its usual place on his forehead. The thin cotton of the yukata was more suited to summer than fall, but, like he had told his father, he almost never got cold. Besides, the sun was chasing away the pre-dawn chill.

His grin faded and he sighed. He still had time to kill before he needed to meet Jiraiya, and he couldn't just stare in a mirror. The early-morning training had helped relieve his agitation, but now that he wasn't occupied with that or getting ready, it was starting to creep back. He needed something to do, or someone to talk to...

An idea struck him, and his grin returned full-force.

He headed to his front door, but stopped with his hand on the knob. Two heartbeats were approaching. He smiled and waited until he felt them stop in front of his apartment. "Hey guys!" he called, yanking open the door.

Just as he had hoped, he'd caught them in the process of knocking. Lee stood with one fist raised, and Tenten was on his left and a little behind him. They both looked surprised. But then Tenten smiled and Lee pointed at the blonde in the doorway.

"I should have known you would know we were here, Naruto-kun!" the green-clad ninja cried. He made a fist again and pressed it into his chest. "But one day, I will surprise you! If not, I will perform six hundred one-fingered push-ups!" He held his pointer finger up for emphasis.

Naruto laughed, and Tenten rolled her eyes and smacked Lee in the shoulder. "That's ridiculous, Lee," she admonished. "For several reasons."

He turned wide eyes on his teammate. "But, Tenten-"

"Anyway," Tenten smoothly cut him off, turning to Naruto. "Happy birthday, Naruto-kun!"

Lee looked back to the blonde standing in the doorway, smiling. "Yes! Happy birthday, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto blinked at them. "You…came to wish me a happy birthday?" he asked, completely taken aback.

Tenten nodded and Lee exclaimed, "Of course! Oh, and to give you your present!"

Naruto blinked again. "Present?"

Tenten rolled her eyes again, this time at him. "Yes, present, silly." She nudged Lee with her elbow.

"Ah, yes!" Lee dug in his vest pocket for something, found it, and presented it to Naruto with a flourish.

It was a small envelope with his name on the front. He looked curiously at the two before opening the flap and sliding out the card inside. He stared, his mouth falling open and his eyes wide. He looked up at his two grinning comrades, then back at the card. Then back at the pair. "A-Are you s-serious?" he stammered.

Tenten laughed and Lee gave him his best thumbs-up, teeth-sparkling smile. "Yosh!"

Naruto looked back at the card, ghosting one thumb over the surface in awe. It was an all-you-can-eat coupon from Ichiraku Ramen.

He turned a blinding smile on the two on his doorstep. "Thanks guys! This is the best present I've ever gotten!" And it was. His mother never celebrated his birthday, and Jiraiya's gifts always consisted of hellish days of training on new jutsus. He wasn't even sure those 'presents' really counted, as much as he liked learning new things. Was it a gift if he could barely stand by the end of the day?

He remembered his manners then and gestured behind him. "Do you want to come in?"

Tenten waved him off. "No, that's ok, thanks. We just wanted to drop that off. Tell us when you want to redeem it, alright?"

He nodded. "Thanks again, really."

"You're welcome. Come on, Lee." The brown-haired kunoichi grabbed her teammate by the arm and started hauling him away.

"Farewell, Naruto-kun!" Lee cried. "Perhaps we will see you after the parade?"

"Sure! See you then!" Naruto waved after the retreating figures, who waved back and disappeared around the corner.

He grinned and slid the card back into its envelope. "Sugoi," he whispered, turning it over and tracing his name with one finger. His first birthday present from…from _friends_. He shut his door, still staring at the envelope, then pumped one fist in the air and spun in a circle. "Sugoi!"

He placed the envelope almost reverently on his kitchen table and left his apartment, locking his door behind hum. Somehow, his anxiety had been soothed by the brief visit, but he still didn't want to just sit around.

* * *

Uchiha Itachi sat on a comfortable cushion, sipping some tea and idly leafing through a few letters of complaint from clan members. As the Clan Head, it was his responsibility to sort out internal disputes, no matter how inane he found them to be. The Uchiha had taken a serious blow to their numbers and their pride eight years ago, but they were regaining both. It was a slow process however, and some of the survivors took out their pain and frustration on each other.

Itachi understood; he felt the same sense of loss every time he walked the streets of the compound–so much emptier now then when he was a child–or when his gaze fell on the only picture of his mother he had kept. He just wished his fellow Uchiha found another way to deal with it besides getting into arguments over property boundaries and kids' pranks. Although, he supposed it could be worse. They _could_ be plotting another rebellion.

The sound of a sliding screen and swishing fabric told him Sasuke had finished getting dressed, and he let the corners of his mouth lift in a small smile. His little brother. The only thing that he loved in this world more than his village. He would have destroyed his entire clan with his own hands to keep him safe, had it been necessary. When he looked at Sasuke, the pain diminished and he found it much easier to think of a bright future rather than dwell in a dark past. Not that Sasuke didn't have his own problems of course…

His otouto entered the room, clad, just like Itachi was, in a black kimono with green Leaf symbols on the chest, shoulders, and back.

"Onii-san," Sasuke spoke, the slightest hint of annoyance in his tone.

Itachi turned to face him, lifting one thin eyebrow in question. "Yes?"

"Have you seen my zori?" The annoyance was stronger and Itachi suppressed a chuckle. His brother hated asking him for help.

"No," he replied and set his tea and the letters down on a black-lacquered tray. "Foolish little brother," he said as he stood and faced Sasuke. "Where did you put them last year?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He hated Itachi's favorite nickname for him, which is, of course, why Itachi continued to use it. "Where I always put them," he said.

"But they aren't there now?"

"No."

"Then you must not have put them there."

"But I _did_," Sasuke insisted. "Where else would I have put them? And I haven't touched them since." Which was true. Sasuke didn't go near the guard uniform for the entire rest of the year. He preferred to keep it stored away–out of sight, out of mind–in the very back of the remotest closet in their house.

Itachi allowed a chuckle past his lips, much to Sasuke's displeasure. "We'll find them," he reassured, and gestured for Sasuke to precede him out of the room. They'd only gone a few steps, though, when there was a knock on the front door.

Itachi waved at his brother. "Look in the closet again. I'll answer it."

Sasuke _hmphed_ but complied and Itachi headed for the door. Before he was even halfway there, he knew who it was. That chakra was unmistakeable. Another small smile graced his lips as he opened the door. "Ohayou, Uzumaki-san."

His brother's teammate beamed back at him, looking like a shot of summer on this fall day. "Ohayou, Itachi-san!"

"Please come in," Itachi said, moving back to allow the blonde teen to enter.

"Thanks!" Naruto stepped up onto the tatami with bare feet, leaving his sandals facing the door.

"Would you like something to drink?" the elder Uchiha asked, leading the way to the room he was sitting in previously.

"No, thank you," Naruto replied, settling himself gracelessly on a cushion.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Itachi asked, sinking much more fluidly onto his own cushion.

"Oh, I just got ready early and I thought I'd come see if Sasuke was ready. I figured I'd walk to the gate with him." He grinned.

Itachi smirked a little. "How very thoughtful of you." Sasuke could complain about his new teammate all he wanted, but Itachi thought the blonde was good for his little brother. "Unfortunately, he has misplaced his sandals. We are in the process of searching for them."

Naruto laughed. "Lost his sandals, huh?" he questioned with a twinkle in his eye.

Itachi smirked. Naruto would tease Sasuke about this mercilessly.

The blonde jumped up from his place on the floor. "Well, I'll help too!" he exclaimed.

But the words had barely left his lips when Itachi heard the soft pad of footsteps and Sasuke appeared.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto greeted enthusiastically.

The younger Uchiha crossed his arms over his chest. "Naruto. What are you doing here?"

Naruto grinned. "Helping you look for your sandals."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "No need," he said shortly. "I found them."

"Where were they?" Itachi questioned.

Sasuke looked away and his older brother could detect the barest hint of a blush on his cheeks. He mumbled something that may have been "the closet."

Itachi smirked. "The closet? Really?"

Sasuke looked back at him, his eyes flashing. "They were in some box! I never put them in a box!"

Itachi blinked at him. "Oh yes. I remember now. I reorganized that closet."

He relished the way his otouto glared at him. It was so much fun to tease Sasuke. And Itachi knew he could count on one hand the ninja that would dare do it, unfortunately. Itachi was just glad he could get _some_ kind of reaction from his brother. Sasuke hid his emotions enough as it was. It reminded him disturbingly of himself.

"Since that crisis is resolved," the elder Uchiha said, ignoring both his brother's glare and Naruto's laughter, "we have time for tea before we leave."

* * *

The ceremonial guard that surrounded the Hokage in the festival parade was generally made of the two top ninja from each rank. The jonin had been Kakashi and Itachi for the last ten years. The chuunin had been Sasuke and Neji for three, ever since they were promoted. The genin usually changed every year; this year they were Uchiha Isamu and his teammate, Hyuuga Hanabi.

The guard met the Hokage at the east gate, so the three young men made their way through the village, Sasuke and Naruto walking side by side in front of Itachi. They were taking as many back streets as they could to avoid the crowds gathering along the main parade route. They would have just taken to the rooftops, but the formal outfits were more restrictive than their normal ninja garb. So they were stuck with walking.

The back streets weren't entirely deserted, however, and it didn't take too long for Naruto to notice the villagers' behavior.

Itachi could see it, in the way he kept glancing from side to side. He was still talking and laughing as usual, but his eyes were darting between Sasuke and the civilians. And those blue eyes were narrowing further and further. Finally, he walked out of his shoe with a loud "oops!" Sasuke rolled his eyes and muttered "dobe" under his breath, while continuing on. Naruto grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head while hopping around comically on one foot to get his lost sandal. As Itachi passed by, conveniently close, the blonde shot out his hand and grabbed the older man's arm.

"Help me out, please, Itachi-san?" he begged in a very convincing voice. Itachi obediently stopped walking and let Naruto lean on him while he went about putting his shoe back on. By this point, Sasuke was several yards ahead–out of earshot, but not so far that they couldn't see him anymore.

"I commend you on a brilliant performance," Itachi commented, his voice low. He knew the only reason Naruto had done any of that was to talk to him without Sasuke hearing or suspecting they were talking about him.

Naruto flashed him a smile from his half-bent over stance, still pretending to fiddle with his shoe. But then his face grew deadly serious. "Is it always like this?" he asked.

Itachi sighed. "Aa," he replied, "although it's always at its worst on this day."

"No wonder he never wants ramen," Naruto muttered as he straightened and glanced around again.

Itachi followed his gaze to the groups of villagers huddling together, staring at his brother as he walked down the street at a stately pace, head held high, face blank and eyes focused on the air in front of him, not deigning to glance at any of the people he passed.

Yes, it was always like this; had always been like this. When people noticed Sasuke coming, they got out of his way, giving him a wide berth so he always had an empty space around him, no matter how crowded the street might be. Some bowed to him as he passed, others whispered to their friends. Mothers held their children tightly so they couldn't approach the jinchuuriki, whether out of fear or misguided reverence made no difference.

And they all _stared_. They all watched him until they could no longer see him with fear and awe, and the occasional flicker of anger, written plainly on their faces. He couldn't ever just blend into the crowd, be one among many. The fact that he was different was forced on him every time he went out in the village whether he wanted it to be or not. He handled it like he had since _that night_; by ignoring it and retreating into the proud, cold shell he'd built. And it broke Itachi's heart, because he remembered the smiling, playful boy Sasuke used to be.

Naruto growled low in his throat, startling Itachi from his reverie. He glanced at the blonde and was surprised at how angry he looked. His fists were clenched at his sides. "Idiots," he muttered fiercely. "How would _they_ like to be stared at like some damn animal in the Daimyo's menagerie?" Itachi blinked. It was a surprisingly apt comparison. "Why can't they see...he's no different from them..." His voice was a whisper, but Itachi heard him clearly none the less.

Itachi lifted one brow slightly. "But he is, Uzumaki-san."

The blonde suddenly faced him, his mouth pressed into a thin line and his jaw clenched. His eyes were incredibly intense, boring into Itachi as if they could see his soul. "He's _not_," Naruto hissed. "He's not different at all. Not really." He jerked his head towards the villagers. "They don't understand what it means to be _different_."

"And you do?" the elder Uchiha asked, intrigued by how the blonde was reacting to the situation.

The younger ninja narrowed his eyes, but Itachi could see the deep, haunting loneliness there nonetheless. He recognized it because he had seen such a look in his brother's eyes before.

_A five-year-old Sasuke stared forlornly at him from a swing, where the young Uchiha sat alone, one small hand clutching at his stomach. "Nii-san, why won't the other kids play with me? Is it 'cause of...you-know-what?"_

_A seven-year-old Sasuke stared desperately up at him from a cocoon of blankets, eyes red and puffy from crying after his first day in the Academy. "N-Nii-s-san, Gorou s-said…he said I'm a m-monster! It's not true, r-right, nii-san? I'm j-just a c-container, r-right?"_

_A twelve-year-old Sasuke stared coolly at him from across the dinner table, after graduating top of his class. "Tch. I'll probably get stuck with Sakura. She's just like all the others."_

Naruto looked away without saying anything, but Itachi didn't need him too. That look had been more than enough of an answer.

Itachi felt a slight pang in his chest. Because, as much as he loved his brother, as much as he wanted to be there for Sasuke, there were some things he didn't, _couldn't_ understand. And somehow, this boy beside him did. He understood Sasuke's pain better than Itachi did and that hurt just a little. But he was glad at the same time. He _knew_ the blonde would be good for his brother.

Suddenly, Naruto flashed him a grin, the strange intensity gone and replaced by pure mischief. The blonde took off after the younger Uchiha, clattering down the street in his fantastically bright yukata like a clown. "Hey, Sasuke! Wait up!" he called.

The dark-haired teen didn't break stride or acknowledge the blonde in any way, but Itachi could see how his shoulders stiffened slightly and he chuckled to himself. Then Naruto caught up with him and slung one arm around his neck, pulling his teammate into a headlock and causing Sasuke to stumble.

"Damn it, Naruto!" he said, struggling to get free.

"Ne, Sasuke," Naruto said, grinning like a fool and ignoring the stares from the shocked villagers. "I'll bet I can get to the gate before you."

"Hn. Idiot." Sasuke shook free and carefully smoothed his hair and straightened his clothing. "I'm not racing you."

Naruto shrugged and laced his fingers behind his head. "Fine," he said, strolling away.

Sasuke caught up to him and Naruto walked a little faster, so he was ahead of his dark-haired teammate again. Sasuke increased his pace until he was beside the blonde. Naruto sped up again. Sasuke sped up to match it. Soon enough, they were running down the street, Naruto laughing and Sasuke growling.

Itachi saw what Naruto was doing, whether he meant to or not. He was drawing all the attention, both Sasuke's and the villagers', and getting his teammate through the gauntlet of the village faster. The elder Uchiha allowed himself a rare laugh. Oh, yes, the blonde was good for his brother.

* * *

Kiba scowled at the four pots sitting on Kurenai-sensei's table. Three held plants. One didn't. His.

He looked away and crossed his arms over his chest. This was stupid.

"Kiba." Shino's smooth voice interrupted his silent grumbling, and he glanced at the dark teen. "I am certain Naruto-kun will appreciate your gift. It is wonderfully decorated."

As usual, it was impossible to see the Aburame's face or hear any nuance in his tone, but Kiba hadn't been his teammate for four years for nothing. He glared at the bug-user before he turned away with a huff. He was certain Shino was making fun of him.

Just because he'd waited until the last minute, and then hadn't been able to get a plant like the rest of them...

He hadn't wanted to do the plant thing anyway. Couldn't they come up with something cooler than _that_ for Naruto's birthday? Sure, the blonde had mentioned he liked plants, but...honestly, _plants_? Naruto'd said he liked training too; couldn't they get him some personalized shuriken or something?

Kiba thought Shino at least would back him up, or have equal trouble getting a plant. But _no_. The Aburame had to show up at their sensei's apartment with a quite beautiful offering. The end of each of the plant's stalks had multiple small flowers growing in concentric rings. Each ring was a different color: yellow, orange, red, and pink. Shino said it was lantana and it would attract butterflies. Of course. Leave it to Shino to get something like that.

Hinata had gotten an aloe plant. She said it was easy to take care of, and when it was bigger, she could show Naruto how to make a healing salve out of it. Kiba'd been in such a pissy mood, he hadn't even teased her when she blushed.

Kurenai had repotted one of the pretty red flowers she grew in her own window box.

Which left Kiba. All he had managed was a terra cotta pot, which he'd painted red triangles on, and some potting soil. But it wasn't his fault!

...Well, it _was_, for putting it off, but he'd been planning to swing by the Yamanaka's flower shop yesterday morning, which should have been plenty of time. But then his mom had wanted his help fixing the leaky spot on the roof, and his sister, Hana, wanted his help with some of the new puppies, and Kiba knew better than to not give a hand when the females in his family asked for it. But by the time those tasks had been accomplished, the flower shop was closed.

And he was reduced to scowling at his pathetically empty pot.

Hinata patted Kiba on the arm. "Kiba," she started. "Shino is right. Naruto-kun will appreciate your gift. You can tell him you wanted him to choose the plant himself."

Kiba's scowl deepened. That didn't really make him feel better.

Kurenai just chuckled and went into the kitchen. "Here," she said when she returned, handing him a small pot and a tiny trowel.

He looked at the leafy green plant, then back to her. "What is it?" he asked.

"Cilantro," his sensei replied. "It's an herb used in lots of different foods, including noodle dishes. You can replant it in your pot."

He blinked once before grinning at the dark-haired jonin. "Thanks Sensei!" he exclaimed. "I'll get you another one, I promise!"

She just laughed again. "Sure, Kiba," she replied.

Once he was finished, and feeling much better about the whole plant thing, Kiba grinned and scratched Akamaru behind the ears. It was time to get to the parade.

* * *

Naruto wound through the crowds, making his way towards the Hokage Tower and the spot where Jiraiya had said he'd be. He was sure he'd beaten Sasuke to the gate, but Kakashi, who was there with the Hokage, said it had been a tie. Again.

And Sasuke insisted he wasn't racing. Again.

Heh. The Uchiha was obviously in denial.

Naruto stumbled a little and focused on the ground in front of him. He wished, not for the first time, that his yukata wasn't so hard to run up walls in. Otherwise, he'd have long ago taken to the rooftops. Though, he was a little shaky right now and jumping around at great heights probably wasn't the best of ideas.

It hadn't taken long for Naruto to get used to the everyday roar of heartbeats and thrum of energy in the village. It was always _there_, but he didn't pay attention to it unless he was looking for someone specific.

But today, with everyone crammed into a much smaller area than usual and hearts beating just a little faster in excitement, it was a hell of a lot harder to ignore. He felt awash with a sea of energy, and it made his head spin and his skin tingle. He wondered if this was what being drunk felt like.

As he came closer to the Tower, he could pick his sensei's heartbeat out of the cacophony, strong and steady and as familiar as his own. He focused on it, using it as an anchor to keep him from floating away.

He was so intent on reaching his goal, and not falling flat on his ass in the process, that he walked right into someone.

He just caught a glimpse of the woman's startled gray eyes before he bowed. "Gomen nasai!" he apologized and rubbed the back of his head. "I wasn't-"

"Naruto-san!"

He looked to the side and down.

"Kouta-chan?"

The young Uchiha was wearing a forest green kimono and holding the hand of the woman Naruto had just run into. He waved vigorously with his other hand. "Hi!"

"Kouta," the woman said, her voice gently chiding. "Introduce me to your friend."

"Oh, yeah!" Kouta straightened and took on a serious demeanor. "Kaa-san, this is Uzumaki Naruto. He's a new chuunin. Naruto-san, this is Uchiha Hiroko, my mother."

He grinned at the end of his recitation.

Naruto smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Hiroko-san."

She had the same dark hair as her sons, though hers had streaks of silvery gray. She wore a charcoal-colored kimono patterned with silver maple leaves interspersed with the Uchiha crest. Her face held the same aloofness that Sasuke's did, but her eyes were warmer.

The woman gave a tiny smile back. "Likewise."

Naruto glanced around. "Where's Isamu-kun?"

Kouta answered. "He's in the Hokage's guard this year with Itachi-sama and Sasuke-sama! Do you know what that means, Naruto-san?" he asked excitedly.

Naruto shook his head, bemused.

The young boy held up three fingers. "There's _three_ Uchiha in the guard! Itachi-sama said nii-san was bringing honor to our Clan!" Kouta was obviously extremely excited and very proud. "And you know what else?"

"No, what?"

The young Uchiha puffed his chest out. "When _I'm_ a genin, I'm gonna be in the guard too!"

Naruto rested his hands on his hips. "You'll have to work hard to reach your goal," he said, mock seriously.

Kouta nodded. "I will!"

Naruto chuckled and ruffled the young Uchiha's dark hair. "Then I'm sure you'll do it, Kouta-chan."

Hiroko smiled fondly at her youngest before turning her gaze on Naruto. "Would you care to watch the parade with us, Uzumaki-san?" she asked.

"I would, but I'm already meeting my sensei. Thanks though!"

"Of course."

"Well, I gotta go. It was nice meeting you! Bye, Kouta-chan!"

"Bye!"

And with a quick bow, he was gone in the crowd again.

* * *

After the parade–which Naruto enjoyed–and the Hokage's speech–which Naruto tried his best to enjoy–Kakashi appeared and asked to 'borrow' his blonde student for a few minutes. Jiraiya just smirked and waved them away, saying he'd see Naruto that night. Kakashi then ushered the young man over to a fairly empty corner of the courtyard in front of the Hokage Tower, where his other teammates were standing.

He waved, and Sakura waved back, smiling. The kunoichi looked very pretty in a calf-length dress that shaded from white to a deep pink at the bottom. She held out a carefully wrapped package when Naruto halted in front of her. "Happy birthday, Naruto-kun," she said.

He blinked at her and broke into a blinding smile. "Thanks Sakura-chan!" He took the gift and tore into the wrapping enthusiastically. It was a medic kit, small, but obviously packed by hand instead of store-bought. He didn't really need it for himself, but he could always use it to help someone else. "Thanks," he said again.

Kakashi was next. His eye crinkled and he held out a small scroll. "For missions away from the village."

Naruto took it with a confused look and unrolled it. Twelve small storage seals were painted on the paper. He set it on the ground and channeled a little chakra into the first seal. With a poof of smoke, the contents appeared.

He gasped and picked up the orange and black container gently, like it was a holy relic. "Ka-Kakashi-sensei," he murmured, awed.

Sakura frowned down at him. "It's just instant ramen," she stated, sounding confused.

He turned disbelieving eyes on her. "It's _not_ just instant ramen!" he declared fervently. "It's Golden Delicious Pure Heart of Fire Ninja Way Ramen! The best instant ramen in the _world_!" He turned back to the Copy Nin. "Thanks Kakashi-sensei!"

"You're welcome," the Copy Ninja replied.

Naruto resealed his gift and tucked it away with the medic kit. He realized Kakashi and Sakura were staring at Sasuke, who'd been watching everything with an impassive expression. Sasuke only crossed his arms over his chest and stared back.

"Didn't you get Naruto anything?" Kakashi asked. He sounded amused.

Sasuke turned his head away. "Hn."

Kakashi chuckled and looked back at Naruto. "The Uchiha don't always remember important occasions, but when they do give gifts, they are very... special." He was still grinning, but he seemed distant. Naruto wondered if he was thinking about his old teammate and the Sharingan eye hidden under his hitai ite.

Sasuke just glared at nothing.

"Well, happy birthday, Naruto, and I hope you enjoy the festival today!" Kakashi continued, as he pulled his orange book out of seemingly nowhere. "Ja ne!"

He disappeared with a little wave, leaving the three chuunin in a semi-awkward silence. Naruto smiled brightly and decided to fill it. "Do you guys want to come to the festival with me? I was gonna meet up with Bushy Brows and Tenten-chan, and maybe some of the others. We could all go together!"

Sakura glanced at Sasuke, but shifted her gaze back to Naruto quickly. "Sure." She smiled.

Naruto grinned back. "Sasuke?"

The Uchiha just stared coldly at him. "No."

"Come on, Sasuke! It'll be fun."

Sasuke's jaw tightened. "No."

"Sasuke-"

"No!"

The word was hissed with such venom that Naruto was momentarily taken aback, and Sasuke took advantage of his silence. "I hate this fucking festival. I hate this fucking day! I've already been paraded around in front of the whole goddamn village! What in that thick, stupid skull of yours makes you think I would want to prolong that torture?"

It was, maybe, the most Naruto had ever heard his dark-haired teammate say at once, and even though it was angry and insulting, he thought it was an improvement. "You can't keep hiding forever," he replied.

Sasuke looked shocked, but only for a minute. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm not hiding, usuratonkachi," he snarled.

Naruto matched the look, not about to back down. "What do you call it then, jerk?"

Sakura broke in, looking worried. "Naruto! Don't insult Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun, maybe you should-"

"Urusai!" Sasuke hissed, not even bothering to glance at the pink-haired kunoichi. "Stay the fuck out of this, Sakura. You don't know anything, and your voice only annoys me."

Sakura jerked back like she'd been slapped, and Naruto felt his own anger bubbling up. It was one thing for Sasuke to insult him, but to insult Sakura when she was only trying to help...

"Teme!" he growled, hands clenching into fists. "Leave Sakura-chan alone! I don't care if you hate this day; you don't have to be such an asshole!"

Sasuke's eyes widened and Sakura gasped. Naruto hadn't ever been quite _that_ insulting before, but he didn't feel the least bit bad about it. Sasuke deserved it.

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, but snapped it shut when a figure suddenly appeared next to him.

"Here you are, Sasuke," Itachi said smoothly. "Is everything alright?"

Sasuke's face became a blank mask. "Everything's fine," he bit out.

"Good. Shall we start home? Unless-" Itachi paused and swept dark eyes over the other two chuunin "-you were going to accompany your teammates to the festival?"

"No, goddamn it!" Sasuke's mask shattered, and Naruto swore he saw his normally-black eyes flash red.

Itachi seemed completely unperturbed. "Very well, little brother." He turned to Naruto and Sakura. "If you will excuse us."

"O-Of course, Uchiha-sama," Sakura stuttered. "W-We'll see you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun." She managed a small smile.

But Sasuke had already turned away, striding through the crowd that parted before him in a wave.

Naruto just gave a stiff nod, eyes on Sasuke's back, anger and sadness forming an uncomfortable knot in his chest.

Itachi simply dipped his head in farewell and followed his brother.

* * *

Sakura watched Sasuke and his brother depart, feeling hurt and sad and angry. She clenched her fist. This was _not_ how today was supposed to be. And it was Naruto's fault.

Sakura rounded on her blonde teammate and smacked him in the head, hard.

"Owww, Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed, rubbing at the spot. "What was that for?"

"How can you say such mean things to Sasuke-kun?" she demanded angrily. "You pushed him too hard! It's no wonder he got upset!"

"Maybe so," Naruto retorted, "but that doesn't give him the right to take it out on you. He was being a bastard. What's wrong with calling him one?"

The kunoichi stared at him in disbelief. "Because he…he's…" She took a breath and tried again. "He's a _hero. _He protects us all by keeping the Kyuubi imprisoned. For that alone he deserves respect! But he's also a genius ninja and an Uchiha! He is next in line to be the head of a prestigious clan that's been here since Konoha was founded! He's one of the last in the village to possess the Sharingan!"

"So what you're telling me," the blonde replied, pinning her with his sapphire gaze, "is that Sasuke deserves respect because of a demon, a clan, and some freaky eyes?"

Sakura gaped at him, not expecting the question or the intensity with which it was asked.

Naruto continued. "What if he didn't have any of those things? Would you still respect him?" He cocked his head at her. "Would you still like him?"

"Of course I…" she started, but trailed off. Something about his look seemed to pierce right through her, and she had the impression that she couldn't lie, even to herself. _Would_ she still like Sasuke, if he didn't have those things? It was for those reasons she'd been told to respect him, all her life, despite the fact that he _was _a cold jerk.

"You have no idea how hard it is, Sakura-chan, to be seen only for _what_ you are, rather than _who_ you are," her teammate said softly. "Sasuke may be a hero and an Uchiha and all of that, but he's also a human being. You should start treating him like one."

Silence. She didn't know what to say.

Naruto sighed and looked away. When he looked back, he was smiling as though nothing had happened. "Let's go find Bushy Brows and the others. I know they're around here somewhere." He sauntered off and it took her a few moments to make her feet move after him.

* * *

Naruto ghosted down the narrow alleyway, leaving the noise of the crowds behind him. He'd had fun with his fellow chuunin–eating festival food with Chouji, playing games with Kiba and Lee, and dancing with the kunoichi, though it took a combination of him pulling and Kiba pushing to get Hinata out on the dance floor. The Hyuuga heiress turned out to be a really good dancer, which wasn't too surprising since she was so graceful. But he still didn't understand why she had turned red and sat down when he told her so. Maybe she'd gotten overheated again.

He shook his head and smiled as he turned a corner. Yeah, he'd had fun today, but he couldn't help but think that it would have been more fun if Sasuke had been there. Though, as he spent more time at the festival, he understood better why his teammate had been so dead set against going.

The villagers, apparently, stared at Sasuke when he was around and talked about him when he wasn't. The young Uchiha was a favorite topic of conversation, along with the Yondaime, the Sandaime, and anybody else that had died sixteen years ago. It wasn't hard to overhear them–they weren't bothering to keep their voices down–so he had a good idea of what the villagers thought.

Most seemed to understand that Sasuke and the Kyuubi were separate beings, but they were afraid of the young jinchuuriki just the same. One man had called the Uchiha 'creepy' before a second man shushed him, glancing around nervously like Sasuke might pop out of the bushes any minute. The second man then proceeded to lecture his friend on how Sasuke was a hero and deserved respect, blah blah blah. It was almost the exact same speech Sakura gave, except the man recited the words like a mantra, as if the Uchiha was a temperamental god that had to be placated lest he unleash his wrath on the village.

Naruto couldn't stand it. It wasn't pitchforks and harsh words, but it was just as alienating.

It was a small consolation that the villagers' more negative emotions weren't directed at Sasuke. No, their anger and hate was concentrated solely on the inhabitant of the Uchiha's body. As the day progressed and more alcohol was consumed, more violent outbursts occurred. One particularly angry group had made some rather nasty remarks and lit a Kyuubi effigy on fire. Naruto had merely kept up his grin, despite his squirming stomach, and gotten as far away from them as possible before ANBU showed up. He didn't want to think about what they would do to _him_ if they found out the truth. Maybe they'd try to light him on fire, which would be ok, actually...

His father had warned him about all this. Naruto _knew_ what today would be like, but still, he'd had enough. So he was using back streets and alleys, away from the throng, to get to the Hokage's residence. His father said they'd have a quiet family dinner for his birthday; just himself, the Yondaime, and Jiraiya, and he was really looking forward to it.

He stopped at an intersection, trying to remember which way to go. He didn't have all the twisty side streets of Konoha memorized yet. As he gazed around him, a flash of red caught his eye down the alley to his right. Curious, he made his way towards it.

It was paint, peeling off of two large pillars with two crossbeams set atop them. Torii. The gate framed the entrance to a path, with more gates lining it and old, gnarled trees flanking them. All the torii had been painted the same brilliant shade of red at one time, although now they were peeling and faded.

Naruto smiled. He knew what this was. He started down the path.

Soon, two stone statues came into view, one on either side of the entrance to a small, single-story building. His smile broadened as he laid a hand lightly on one, tracing the features carved in the stone. A jewel placed under a front paw. Teeth bared in a snarl, or a grin–Naruto was never sure which. Ears perked, listening for their master's commands.

The kitsune of Inari.

This was a shrine to the kami of rice, agriculture, fertility, and various other things.

His mother's voice sounded in his head. _"Why are you here?" _

_He had been three when he found the small shrine by the side of the road they were traveling and, enchanted by the statues outside, he entered. There was no resident priest; he was alone when his mother found him. _

_"There are foxes, okaa-sama!" _

_His mother sighed. _"_You know that most of these shrines are dedicated to spirits that don't exist." _

_He shrugged. _"_Aa…but…" He wasn't sure how to articulate the feeling he got from being in the shrine and his mother probably wouldn't understand it anyway._

_"But you are half-human. And humans need to believe in something. I know." _ _She sounded annoyed. _

_He looked at the floor. He hadn't meant to annoy her. "Gomen, okaa-sama," he said in a small voice. _

_She sighed again and reached to ruffle his hair. He looked at her in surprise. She hardly ever showed affection. "It's ok, Naruto. Come on." _

The memory faded and Naruto looked around for the purification fountain. It was small and only held one ladle, but the water was clean. He dipped the ladle in and carefully rinsed his hands, then his mouth. That being done, he stepped up to the entrance, digging for a coin to throw in the offering box. He went through the ritual of bowing and clapping, and finally struck the gong. It looked old and worn, like the rest of the shrine, but it was polished and shiny nonetheless. He offered a simple prayer and turned to leave. He liked to visit shrines, but he never stayed long. He had learned more about them since the day he had first entered one. They were places of purity, and he suspected he was fundamentally impure. No amount of hand washing and mouth rinsing could change what he was. He just hoped the kami didn't hold it against him.

A heartbeat approached him from the right, slowly, calmly, and he paused in the small open space between the offering hall and the path. The person who rounded the corner of the building was an older man, maybe in his 60s, short, white-haired. He was probably the shrine priest. Naruto smiled at him.

"Konban wa, jiji-san."

The old man smiled back. "Konban wa, gaki."

Naruto gave a small laugh. He liked this guy.

The shrine priest was watching him curiously. "Forgive me for asking, but why are you here?"

Naruto tilted his head, surprised by the question. "To pray. Why else come to a shrine?"

The old man chuckled. "No, I meant why come to _this_ shrine? Especially on this day?"

Naruto was confused. "Why not?"

"You're not from Konoha, are you?"

Naruto shook his head. "I've been here a little over a month."

The priest nodded. "Well, that explains it. You see, ever since the Kyuubi attack, most of the people of Konoha have avoided this shrine. I'm sure you noticed the…state of disrepair it is in."

Naruto frowned. "But Inari-sama has nothing to do with Kyuubi-sama."

The priest nodded. "That is so, but Inari-sama's messengers are foxes, and anything associated with foxes is anathema to the citizens of Konoha."

Naruto shook his head a little. "Well, I know better, jiji-san." He started down the path. "I'll be back."

The old man smiled. "I look forward to it."

* * *

Minato waited patiently in his living room for his son to return from the festival. Dinner would be ready in about ten minutes; enough time for Naruto to open his gifts first. Minato's gift, encased in a small wooden box, was placed neatly on the table in front of him. He hoped Naruto liked it. He hoped it made up for, in some small way, his inability to acknowledge his own son on his birthday.

Minato felt guilty. He had really, _really_ wanted Naruto to be in the guard. His son was, truthfully, the strongest chuunin he had. He was probably stronger than many of the jonin, too. He deserved to be in it.

Not to mention the fact that he just wanted his son to walk beside him, as a sort of unofficial acknowledgement.

But they couldn't afford the risk. Naruto had remained fairly anonymous thus far, but that would change if the Hokage invited him to be in the guard. Minato would have been, literally, parading him around in front of the entire village and proclaiming him as a top chuunin barely a month and a half after he arrived. Which would have only drawn unwanted attention. He was no fool. He knew that the other villages had their civilian spy networks, just as Konoha did, and that festivals were ideal times to pick up information. No, he couldn't be so blatant. Even though he wanted to.

A knock on the door announced Jiraiya's arrival. Minato didn't bother to get up, knowing his sensei would just let himself in, which he did a moment later. He entered the room bearing a large, flat wooden box of his own.

He smiled at his elder student. "You're looking more comfortable, Minato," he remarked.

Minato chuckled. He'd changed out of the formal robes the instant he'd gotten back to the Hokage residence. Now, he simply wore his dark pants and a dark blue uwagi shirt with a white wave design around the bottom. "I am," he replied.

Jiraiya carefully placed the box he was carrying on the table next to Minato's present and settled into a chair opposite his student with a small sigh. "So, we're just waiting for the guest of honor, eh?"

Minato nodded.

"The gaki was looking forward to dinner," Jiraiya commented. "He's never really had a birthday party." He chuckled. "Which is my fault, of course."

Minato smiled. He knew about Jiraiya's habit of gifting Naruto with new, difficult, jutsu on his birthday, and Naruto's habit of working on them till he literally dropped from exhaustion. But his smile faded as he thought of the birthdays he had missed. So many years he could have been with his son, watching him, helping him grow into the amazing young man he was. It hurt his heart.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked quietly. "Why did you ever make that promise?"

The Toad Sage knew what Minato was talking about. He sighed. "I didn't trust him," he said bluntly. "Even after he told me about the ring. I pretended I did, but it would be easy enough for an enemy to get ahold of that information. Hell, Kushina could have been an enemy herself. She disappears, completely, for eight years, and then this child shows up, looking exactly like you?" Jiraiya made a dismissive gesture. "I'd have been a _fool_ not to be suspicious. Naruto is the perfect trap for a man that can't be caught except by his heart. So, it was easy enough to promise not to tell you. Hell, if Naruto had turned out to be some sort of spy, I'd _never_ have told you."

"It was a test," Minato said. "When you told him you knew who his father was, you were testing him."

Jiraiya nodded, deadly serious. "One of many. A spy would want to know everything they could about you. Of course, so would a son who'd never met his father, so it wasn't definitive. But he never wavered. Even the very day we arrived in Konoha."

"And if Naruto had failed your tests?" Minato asked quietly, though he knew the answer. He _knew_.

Jiraiya rose and moved to stand in front of him. He rested a heavy hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I think of you as my son," he said gruffly. "I'd _never_ allow you to be hurt in that way if I could help it."

Minato closed his eyes and pressed down hard on his sensei's hand. "I'm glad," he said, his voice choked. "Glad it didn't come to that."

"Me, too."

Minato cleared his throat and looked up as Jiraiya went back to the chair. "So, it took four years for you to trust him?"

"Aa." The Sannin's smile was wry. "And by then I'd made a promise, to a gaki who had become my grandson. I couldn't go back on my word. But I could write to you about my new student." He sighed. "I know it's not the same. I'm sorry for that."

Minato sighed at the genuine remorse in Jiraiya's voice. Damn it all, he couldn't stay mad at his sensei when he was only trying to protect Minato. He shook his head. Maybe Kakashi was right; he was too soft.

"I forgive you." He smiled a little. "Just tell me if you run across any more unknown offspring of mine, hmmm?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Sure, sure, though I didn't know you took some of my more worldly advice, Minato." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Minato rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Ero-sennin." He was rewarded with an indignant huff from his sensei.

But before Jiraiya could say anything, another knock sounded on the door. Minato grinned and rose. His son was here, now, and that was the important thing.

* * *

"...And Shino-kun, and Hinata-chan, and Kiba, and Kurenai-sensei all got me these cool plants! And Ino-chan got me a certificate to her family's shop! She said she'd help me pick some stuff out. Oh, and Shika-kun and Chouji-kun said they'd take me out to dinner at this BBQ place! Chouji-kun said I'd really like it, even if it's not ramen." Naruto paused for breath and Minato chuckled quietly. His son could sure talk. "But the best gift was Tenten-chan's and Bushy Brow's. Do you know what they got me?" he asked, staring eagerly at his father's face.

"I have no idea," Minato replied.

"The new, limited edition Icha Icha, which is not only printed on waterproof paper and signed by the author, but includes a preview of the next volume?" Jiraiya asked with a grin.

Naruto scrunched up his face in disgust. "Bleh. _No_, Ero-sennin." Jiraiya laughed and Naruto continued. "An all-you-can-eat coupon to Ichiraku's!" he crowed.

Minato laughed. "That sounds great, Naruto," he said. He glanced at Jiraiya. "We have gifts of our own, too."

Naruto blinked at him, then Jiraiya, a slow smile spreading on his face.

Minato picked the smaller of the two boxes up off the table. It was rectangular, much shorter and narrower than the one Jiraiya brought, but deeper. He handed it to his son, who stared at the box with something like awe. "This is from me," he began. He gestured. "Go ahead."

Naruto carefully unhooked the latch and opened the lid. He gasped. Inside, on a bed of black velvet, lay a perfectly polished and sharpened tri-pronged kunai with a yellow seal tag wrapped around the handle.

He looked up at Minato, his face a blaze of happiness. The older blonde smiled. "You said you wanted one," he remarked.

"Thank you, otou-sama," Naruto gushed, gazing back at the kunai and brushing his fingers over the seal.

Minato reached out and ruffled his son's hair. "It's more than just a gift, Naruto," he said. "Consider it a promise, too."

His son glanced back up at him, brows drawn in confusion. "Promise?" he questioned.

Minato nodded. "Aa. I know that Jiraiya usually gives you jutsu for your birthday, but this year it's my turn." He nodded at the kunai. "You still have some sealing concepts to master, but when you're ready, I will teach you the Hiraishin."

Naruto gasped, and if possible, his smile grew wider. He set the box down quickly on the table and lunged at his father. "Thank you, otou-sama!" he cried, wrapping his arms tightly around Minato's neck.

Minato returned the gesture, his own smile bright. It was the first time Naruto initiated a hug with him. "Happy birthday, musuko," he murmured.

Jiraiya cleared his throat after a minute, reminding him someone else was present. "The other one is from me," he said gruffly when the young blonde settled back on the couch. "Though I don't think it's going to be as well-received," he mumbled.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, but couldn't stop smiling. "Thanks, sensei!" he said. He pulled the larger wooden box towards him and opened the lid.

Inside was a bundle wrapped in blue silk and tied with an orange ribbon. He looked questioningly at the Toad Sage, who just waved at him to keep going. Naruto untied the ribbon and unfolded the silk.

His eyes widened. "Whoa," he whispered, reaching to touch his present from the white-haired man.

It was a royal blue kimono, with matching hakama and haori. The chest and back sported the spiral symbol that Naruto wore, in orange.

"Since you are settled now, I thought you could use some formal wear," the Sannin remarked. "There's zori too, in a separate bag."

Naruto fingered the fine silk, seemingly in awe. Minato knew he'd never had anything this nice in his life; at least, not since he'd been with Jiraiya. His son grinned and rose from his place on the couch. He moved around the table and hugged Jiraiya just as fiercely as he had Minato, though a little less spontaneously. "Thank you, sensei," he said sincerely.

Jiraiya smiled at him and ruffled his hair. Just then, a timer went off in the kitchen. Minato smirked a little as he rose to his feet. His timing was, as usual, impeccable. "Dinner's ready!"

* * *

Itachi sighed inaudibly as his otouto slammed yet another closet door. "If you tell me what you are looking for, perhaps I can help you find it," he said calmly.

Sasuke just snarled at him, dark eyes flashing, and stomped away to ransack another part of the house.

Sasuke had been in a worse mood than usual after the parade, and it hadn't gotten any better. Most years, he disappeared into one of the Uchiha training grounds when they got home, only returning when it started to get dark, and sometimes not even then. This year was no exception, but hours of physical exertion hadn't drained his anger like it usually did.

Itachi knew it was because of what had happened in the courtyard. While Naruto may have been a bit overzealous in trying to get Sasuke to come to the festival–miracles take a little time, after all–his little brother had also overreacted. And now, Sasuke felt guilty about it. Not that he'd admit that.

Still, the elder Uchiha wasn't sure just what Sasuke was doing, rifling through a set of cabinets in one of the lesser-used sections of their home. Suddenly, his brother stopped, staring at something Itachi couldn't see. He reached into the cabinet and pulled out a small wooden box. He knelt, setting it on the floor, and flipped the lid open.

Itachi's eyes widened. He remembered that box.

"_Happy birthday, Sasuke," Fugaku intoned, handing his youngest a wooden box. _

"_Arigatou, otou-sama," Sasuke said quietly, accepting the present for his seventh birthday in his small hands. He set it carefully on the floor and opened the lid. _

_Inside was a bottle of oil, a neatly folded cloth, a powder ball, rice paper, and a small brass hammer. Sasuke probably didn't know what they were for, but Itachi did. He frowned internally. "I have not begun teaching Sasuke to use a katana yet, otou-sama," he remarked. They'd actually had a disagreement about it; Itachi didn't think Sasuke was ready and Fugaku wanted him to start anyway. _

"_I know," Fugaku replied icily. "But I'm sure you will soon. You said his shuriken and kunai skills have improved greatly."_

_Itachi bit back a snarl. That damn manipulative bastard. He was using his son's _birthday gift_ to get his way. _

"_Y-You really said that, nii-san?"_

_Itachi glanced down and saw his brother's wide black eyes looking at him with a kind of wistful eagerness tinged with hope that made his chest hurt. _

"_Aa, otouto," he replied. _

"_So, you'll teach me to use a katana soon? Like otou-sama said?" _

_Itachi resisted the urge to grit his teeth. Damn his father to the lowest circle of hell. "Aa. Soon."_

_Sasuke smiled brilliantly at him, and he focused on that instead of the small, smug smile on Fugaku's face. Because, otherwise, he might just murder the man on the spot. _

He'd kept his word and started training Sasuke to handle a sword a few months after that, but his little brother had never used anything out of the box. He just kept it on top of the chest of drawers in his room. Itachi understood. Fugaku didn't give either of his sons gifts very often, even on their birthdays, and Sasuke was too young to understand what was really going on. So the box was...special.

Until _that night_. Afterwards, it disappeared from Sasuke's room, along with everything else that had to do with their dead father, and Itachi thought Sasuke had gotten rid of it. Apparently not.

But why would he want it now?

There was a tiny flash of chakra, and the smell of burnt wood pervaded the room. Sasuke shut the lid and rose to his feet, heading for the front door.

Ah. Itachi understood now. "Is that for Uzumaki-san?" he questioned.

Sasuke stopped, his shoulders stiff. "Aa."

Itachi smiled a little. _Kakashi was right. Special gifts, indeed._

He turned and headed for the kitchen. "I'm making tea, Sasuke." _I'm proud of you, otouto._ "Be back before it gets cold."

"I will." _Arigatou, aniki._

* * *

When Naruto arrived at his apartment after dinner, he was surprised to find a small wooden box sitting outside his door. He hunkered down, stared at it from several different angles, sniffed it, and finally pushed a little chakra towards it.

Nothing.

Shrugging, he scooped it up and took it inside.

He set it on the kitchen table next to his other gifts, and sat down to examine it more closely.

In the light, he could see it was a very fine box, a little larger than the one his father had given him and decorated with intricate carvings of dragons and flames. He lifted the lid and his eyebrows rose.

Inside, nestled in dark blue silk, was everything he needed for the maintenance of his katana. And it was all high-quality stuff, the sort he'd never really been able to afford. He grinned, but then frowned. Who was it from?

The only scent he could pick up from it was charred wood, and, as his eyes roamed the box, he saw why. In the middle of the underside of the lid was a scorch mark. It was still fresh; when he rubbed at it, his finger came away black.

His frown deepened. He'd felt something, under the mark.

He glided a fingertip over the blackened area slowly, carefully. He did it three times, just to make sure.

Then, his face lit with a sunny smile.

A symbol had been branded into the wood, but the person who'd left the gift hadn't wanted Naruto to see it. They'd burned the area around it, erasing it from view. But the symbol was scored deeply into the lid, so there was still an unevenness between it and the rest of the wood. It was a difference in texture he could feel.

He traced the lines of the uchiwa again.

_Thanks, Sasuke._

* * *

Author's Note:

_I got a request to make memories more distinguishable, so I italicized them in this chapter. Did it work? Was it confusing? Please let me know, as there are going to be plenty more memory bits coming up and I want it to be very clear for everyone. Thanks! _


	15. Wave

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 15

_**Wave**_

The Hokage sat at the mission table this morning, the other ninja that worked in the mission office on either side of him. He glanced over the scrolls that held the list of C-rank missions currently open and tapped one with his finger. "Number nine, I think."

The ninja to his left nodded and slipped a scroll from the pile in front of him. He handed it to the Hokage, who unrolled it and scanned the contents quickly. He nodded to himself.

"Yes, this will do nicely." He looked up and grinned at the four ninja of Team Kakashi arrayed in front of him. "I have heard nothing but good things from Itachi-san on your work with the police force, and Kakashi is pleased with your progress as a team. Therefore, I am sending you on a mission outside the village."

Sakura and Naruto visibly perked up at the announcement, while Sasuke just looked slightly less bored.

Minato held up the scroll. "This is an escort mission to Nami no Kuni. Your duty is to protect a trade caravan from bandits." He tossed the scroll to Kakashi. "You are to meet the client at the east gate in thirty minutes. Dismissed."

Before they could leave, Naruto spoke up. "Ano, Hokage-sama..."

"Yes, Naruto-kun?"

"I know some people in Wave. Would it be ok if I visited them while we're there?"

The Hokage smiled a little. "You have friends in Wave?" he asked, slightly emphasizing the word 'friends'.

Naruto looked thoughtful before a slow smile spread on his face. "Aa. Friends."

The Hokage's smile widened, and he replied, "Well, I don't have a problem with it, but it's up to Kakashi."

Naruto turned questioning blue eyes on their jonin leader and he shrugged. "As long as it doesn't interfere with the mission," he said.

Naruto's smile turned brilliant. "Thanks Kakashi-sensei! It won't, I promise!"

"Good to hear," the Copy Ninja said, amused. He waved them out of the room. "Now scat; you've only got half an hour."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Sakura stood just inside the east gate, waiting for the rest of her team. She had been the first to arrive, and Sasuke had shown up about five minutes after her. Now they were just waiting on Naruto and Kakashi. The silver-haired man was supposed to be getting their client from the waiting room in the Tower, so she fervently hoped he wasn't late this time.

Naruto strolled up a few minutes later, a pack slung over one shoulder. He greeted them enthusiastically, as if they hadn't just seen each other in the mission office. Sakura rolled her eyes, but responded anyway. Naruto hunkered down, apparently expecting to wait awhile.

So, it came as a surprise to him when their sensei sauntered up a full five minutes early with a sandy-haired man behind him. Sakura was surprised too, but thought it unprofessional to say so. Naruto, however, did not.

"You're _early_!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet and pointing at Kakashi. "You're _never_ early!"

She smacked the blonde on the back of his head. "Baka!" she muttered. "Not in front of the client!"

Naruto rubbed the spot she'd hit and grinned at her sheepishly. "Gomen, Sakura-chan."

She rolled her eyes and glanced to Kakashi. His gray eye was practically shut in the way that indicated he was grinning at them. "Michi-san, this is my team." He pointed at each chuunin in turn. "Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto. Team, this is Susumu Michi."

The man seemed to be in his 30s, dirty blonde hair pulled into a braid. His brown eyes were narrow, but the lines around them indicated he smiled often. He maintained a fairly neutral expression, though, as they bowed in greeting. Michi's eyes rested on Naruto's face thoughtfully for a moment before turning to Kakashi. "They seem awfully...young. Are you sure they can handle it?"

Sakura saw Sasuke narrow his eyes dangerously and felt Naruto bristle beside her. Thankfully, before her blonde teammate could say something insulting and get them in trouble, Kakashi lifted his hands in a placating manner. "Maa, maa, Michi-san. The Hokage wouldn't have assigned us to this mission otherwise." He smiled again. "I am a jonin, and, though my teammates may not look it, they are chuunin and very capable."

Sakura restrained her tongue at that half-compliment, half-insult, teasing as it was. Naruto, of course, did not. "Oy!" he started, before Sakura clamped a hand firmly over his mouth and smiled sweetly at the client. Who was covering his own mouth, trying to hide his laughter and doing a poor job of it.

Great. They were making a _wonderful_ first impression. _Very_ professional.

His eye still crinkled, Kakashi waved a hand towards the gate. "Let's head out!"

* * *

They formed a loose diamond around Michi, Naruto at point, Sasuke and Sakura to either side, and Kakashi in back. They weren't expecting any trouble before they met up with the client's trade caravan, but they were ninja. They weren't about to let their guard down.

Kakashi had explained the details of the mission, Michi adding a few things here and there. As Sakura understood it, Nami no Kuni had been a poor country until about three years ago, when they completed a bridge to the mainland. Trade increased and now caravans regularly made the trip to the small group of islands. However, that also brought an increase in bandit activity along the route. Many of the caravans had taken to hiring ninja to protect them.

"Why did the bridge make such a huge difference?" Sakura asked. "Surely ships made the crossing."

"Aa," Michi replied, "but shipping was controlled by a corrupt businessman. Any taxes or port fees that should have gone to Wave ended up in his coffers, and anyone who opposed him ended up dead. He tried to stop the construction of the bridge, too."

"He obviously failed," Sasuke said cooly. "What happened?"

Michi hesitated a moment, glancing at Naruto.

"He ended up dead, too."

The blonde's voice startled Sakura. He was still facing forward, but she could see his profile. His visible eye was hooded, in a manner eerily similar to Kakashi's, and his mouth was sporting a very self-satisfied smirk. He lifted his hands to lace his fingers behind his head. He looked...he looked like a cat that had just caught a very large mouse. The lines on his cheek only added to the impression.

Michi was openly staring at the back of his head. "You're _the_ Naruto, aren't you?"

And suddenly the strangely predatory look was gone, replaced by confusion. Naruto turned his head to look at their client. "Eh?"

"The one they named the bridge after."

"What?" Naruto stopped walking and turned completely around. "Named the bridge after?

"Aa. The bridge to Wave is called The Great Naruto Bridge."

"Really?" Naruto asked, his eyes wide.

"You did say you've been to Wave before, ne, Naruto?" Sakura asked, curious.

Naruto nodded and Michi smiled a little. "I'm sure it's you, then," he said. "There can't be that many blonde, blue-eyed ninjas running around with the name Naruto."

Sasuke snorted a little. "That's true. Any other self-respecting ninja would have changed it."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Whadda ya' mean?"

Sasuke stared blankly at him. "You're named for a ramen topping, dobe."

Naruto huffed angrily and pointed at his black-haired teammate. "My name means 'maelstrom', teme! And besides, there's nothing wrong with being named for the awesome goodness that is ramen!"

Sakura suppressed a giggle, though their sensei didn't bother to hide his chuckle.

"Maa, maa, before you two start trying to kill each other in the middle of the road, we should get our client to his caravan," the jonin said.

Sasuke smirked. "Hn."

Naruto huffed again and turned on his heel, striding down the road muttering.

Michi looked on amused. "I can't believe he's the ninja the villagers all talk about." He shrugged and kept walking.

Sakura grit her teeth. Could Naruto _be_ any more unprofessional? Ugh. She didn't want to find out.

* * *

It took them the rest of the day at the civilian's pace to reach Otafuku Gai, where they joined the caravan in the forest just outside town. Naruto had mumbled and sulked the whole way, shooting glares in Sasuke's direction, which the Uchiha ignored. Sakura was determined to have a nice long chat with the blonde about just what constituted proper ninja behavior in front of a client. So, when Naruto disappeared into the trees to guard the caravan until dinner, she waited a little while, then followed.

Her teammate was perched on a branch, looking out over the wagons. He seemed sad, which was a bit of a shock. Naruto was _never _sad, and Sakura found her anger slipping away. Sasuke _had_ been kind of mean. She forgot about the lecture she'd planned on giving and just took a seat next to him. "Hey, Naruto," she said quietly.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," he replied.

She wasn't sure how to proceed, so she said nothing. She figured if Naruto wanted to talk, he would. He didn't have trouble doing it any other time.

"I like my name," he said abruptly.

She glanced at him.

"I like my name," he repeated. "I like the story my mother told me about why she gave it to me. It always made me feel...connected to my parents, even though they weren't around." He looked at her. "Does that make sense?"

She nodded. "What's the story?"

Naruto smiled a little. "There's this book that my parents both liked. And the main character was brave, and strong, and never gave up. My father said that if he ever had a son, he'd want him to be like that."

"And the character's name was Naruto, right?" Sakura prompted gently.

Naruto nodded. "So when I was born, that's what my mother named me. I've always been proud of my name, and I've worked hard every day to live up to it. To be like the ninja in the book, the way my father wanted." He paused and his voice dropped to a whisper. "I want him to be proud of me, not regret-" he stopped, snapping his mouth shut and looking away.

Sakura didn't know what to say to that. What could she? She had no idea how it felt, to be trying every day to live up to a father's expectations. To hope that said father didn't regret her very existence. It was heartbreaking. "I'm sure he would be proud of you," she said quietly. It was kind of an empty statement–she couldn't speak for Naruto's father–but she wanted to reassure her teammate and she couldn't think of anything else.

If Naruto thought it was a silly thing to say, he didn't show it. He turned back to her with a small smile. "Thanks Sakura-chan."

She smiled back and tried to turn the conversation to a less serious topic. "So, you haven't told us just what happened when you were in Wave last time. What did you do, for the villagers to name the bridge for you? It must have been something really cool."

He shook his head a little. "I don't really know," he replied. "The only thing I did do, they think Jiraiya-sensei did."

She blinked at him, a little confused. "You did something, but the villagers think Jiraiya-sama did it instead?" He nodded. "What?"

His smile slipped away and he stared at her with something unreadable in his eyes. "I killed Gato," he said suddenly, voice low and hard.

She blinked at him again. "Gato?"

"He was the asshole that was bleeding Wave dry. After Sensei and I took out the missing-nin he hired to kill the bridge builder, he showed up in person with a whole bunch of thugs. Well, first he tried to kidnap the bridge builder's family, but that didn't succeed." He smiled, somewhat savagely, Sakura thought, and continued. "So he came to the bridge itself with his goons, trying to intimidate us." He snorted. "Idiot."

"What happened then?"

Naruto shrugged. "He started spouting all this arrogant bullshit–you know how bad guys like to hear themselves talk. It really pissed me off. Plus, Sensei figured if he was taken out, his men wouldn't be so eager to fight. So I killed him." He snickered a little, ignoring her shocked expression. "His men were scared shitless, and then the villagers showed up too. With Jiraiya-sensei and I, and all of them, the thugs decided it wasn't worth it. They ran like rabbits."

Sakura swallowed. He spoke of it so casually. Did he really not care that he had taken a life? Of course, they were ninja. It was expected in their line of work. "How old were you?"

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "I'd just turned thirteen."

She bit her lip. _Thirteen?_

"Was it your first kill?" she asked in a whisper. She herself was sixteen now and still hadn't killed anyone. She never would have thought Naruto, with his bright smile and easy laugh, had already done it.

"No." His voice was blank. He was looking out over the caravan again, refusing to meet her gaze.

Damn it! She didn't want to make him _more_ upset! "Naruto, I'm sorry," she said, a little desperately. "I didn't mean to-"

He cut her off. "It's ok, Sakura-chan." He grinned, and the contrast was a little unnerving. "I know you meant well. And I do feel better, really."

She was certain he was lying, but she said nothing. She obviously wasn't as good at cheering people up as she thought.

The blonde beside her stood. "We'd best get back, ne? Dinner's probably ready by now." He stretched, arms over his head.

Sakura had just opened her mouth to respond when Naruto flicked his wrist and, in one smooth motion, threw the kunai that had appeared in his hand. Sakura sprang to her feet, words forgotten, and drew her own kunai while extending her senses to try and locate the intruder. As she did, she heard the dull _thud_ of metal embedding in wood. And then she realized that Naruto had made no more moves, offensive or defensive. He was just standing there, hands on his hips and wide grin on his face. _Huh?_

"Oy, teme!" he called. "Come on out!"

Her jaw dropped as Sasuke materialized from the trees, lazily spinning a kunai around his finger by the loop and wearing his characteristic smirk. "Your aim sucks, dobe."

Naruto snickered. "Yeah, sure. Tell that to your shirt." He gestured and Sakura saw the small tear in the right arm of Sasuke's white shirt.

"Hn. Whatever." Their dark-haired teammate tossed the kunai to Naruto, who caught it with ease and tucked it back under his sleeve.

She was sure Sasuke would be mad at the unprovoked attack, but he wasn't. At least, she didn't think so. It was so hard to tell with him sometimes. Well, most of the time.

But even if _he_ wasn't angry, Sakura was. "Baka!" She smacked Naruto in the back of the head. "What were you thinking? You could have hurt Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Not really. I wasn't aiming for anything vital." He grinned. "And even if I hit him, he'd heal right up."

Sakura gaped at him. "That's not the point!"

He blinked at her. "Well, what is the point then?"

Sakura moved her mouth, a small part of her brain bemoaning the fact that she probably looked like a fish, while the rest was utterly bemused at Naruto's comment. Before she could form a coherent sentence, however, Sasuke spoke.

"It's time for dinner." He leapt to the ground and started towards the caravan.

Naruto grinned at her. "See, Sakura-chan, I was right!" And he followed the Uchiha, leaving her staring after the two of them.

She'd never understand boys.

* * *

Sasuke surreptitiously studied Naruto across the camp fire as the blonde slurped down yet _another_ bowl of soup. He'd overheard most of the conversation between his two teammates, and while he was most interested in the second half–as being most relevant to their mission, of course–he couldn't stop thinking about the first half.

It wasn't his fault that Naruto cared about the snide comments he'd made. The blonde shouldn't care. Caring was stupid–a weakness. If you cared, you got hurt.

A simple lesson, and one Sasuke had learned very well years ago, on a night of blood and pain and _red_.

Which was why Sasuke had a very, _very_ short list of people he cared about. And Naruto was not on it. Sasuke felt no inclination to be _nice_ or to be _friends _with the dobe. He didn't need those things. Didn't. _Did. Not._ Really.

So what was this uneasy feeling?

He scowled into his bowl.

The problem was that he _understood_ what it was like to strive for a father's approval, to try and live up to a name. It was hard. Sometimes it was painful. And by insulting Naruto's name, he'd essentially insulted Naruto's efforts. If anyone put Sasuke down like that, he'd put them in the hospital.

...Guilty. He was feeling guilty. Just like he'd felt guilty after the festival, for not getting Naruto a present and then blowing up at the blonde and Sakura.

Which meant he _did_ care...at least a little.

_Fuck!_

When had this happened?

He stared at Naruto again–at his bright eyes and his big smile as he spoke with Michi.

"_I'll bring you tomatoes."_

No.

"_Hey, Sasuke! Come get ramen with us!"_

_No._

"_You mean the Kyuubi? That doesn't scare me at all...I trust you Sasuke."_

NO!

Sasuke slammed his bowl down, stood up, and stalked away from the campfire, ignoring Sakura's and Naruto's calls.

Sasuke didn't want to care, and he didn't want to feel guilty. So he wouldn't. If he ignored them long enough, those feelings would go away.

...Right?

* * *

Tsunami hummed to herself as she dried the last of the breakfast dishes. Tazuna was already at his workshop and Inari would join him soon. At least, he would if he didn't want to be late.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and she moved around the dining table to answer it. It was probably a villager, or perhaps a client, though they usually went to Tazuna's workshop.

She opened the door. A sunny smile on a whiskered face greeted her, topped with bright blue eyes and golden hair. "Hey, Tsunami-ba-chan!"

"Naruto!" she gasped, eyes wide. The next moment, she had him enveloped in a hug. He seemed startled, but returned the gesture. She noted, while squeezing him as hard as she could, that he was taller than her now.

"It's so good to see you again!" she said, stepping back, hands still on his shoulders. She eyed him up and down. "You've grown into a fine young man."

He rubbed the back of his head, his eyes downcast. "Thanks, ba-chan," he mumbled.

"Kaa-san?" a voice called from behind her. "Who-"

Inari stopped when he saw the figure at the door. "Nii-san!" he cried, practically knocking his mother out of the way in his mad dash forward. Naruto staggered a little under the weight as the younger boy threw himself onto the blonde.

"Hey, Inari," he said, a wide smile on his face.

"Inari, let Naruto breathe," Tsunami scolded, laughing.

Her son reluctantly let go of the older teen and stepped back.

"Would you like to come in?" she questioned.

Naruto shook his head. "No, I can't," he said regretfully. "I'm on a mission, and I gotta get back. I just wanted to say hi, and see if you guys could come to dinner tonight."

"Of course," Tsunami said with a smile. "Where?"

"The caravan camp. We're protecting the Susumu traders, and they said it was fine if you guys joined us. We usually eat around nineteen hundred."

"That sounds wonderful, Naruto," Tsunami replied.

Inari was staring, wide-eyed. "So, you're a ninja now?" he blurted.

Naruto chuckled and tapped his forehead. Tsunami realized that his black headband now sported a silver plate with the symbol of Konoha.

"Sure am, Inari. A chuunin."

"Sugoi," Inari whispered.

"Congratulations," Tsumani said, very happy for the young man before her. He had accomplished his goal, the dream that he had spoken of so fervently when he and his teacher had been in Wave years before.

"Well, I gotta go," Naruto said, turning to leave. "I'll see you guys tonight, though, ne?"

Tsumani nodded and Inari waved. "Yeah, tonight, nii-san!"

With a final wave and a face-splitting grin, Naruto blurred out of sight.

* * *

Sakura didn't know what Naruto's friends would be like, but the little family that showed up at their camp wasn't what she was expecting.

Tazuna, the patriarch, was in his sixties, with gray hair and a beard. He was friendly, in a gruff, teasing sort of way, and he brought his own bottle of sake. His daughter, Tsunami, was a few years older than Kakashi, with long dark hair and big dark eyes. Her son, Inari, took after her. He was almost twelve, and he idolized Naruto. That was also unexpected, but sweet.

It was 'Naruto-nii-san' this and 'Naruto-nii-san' that, until Tsunami not-so-gently reminded him he was being rude by ignoring the other Leaf ninja. After that, Inari made an effort to engage the rest of them, although really it was only Sakura that responded. Kakashi threw in an occasional comment, but Sasuke sat and stared out at the trees around their camp, only providing one-word answers if asked a direct question.

Until Sakura brought up the subject she'd been curious about for the whole mission. "Tazuna-san, why did you name the bridge for Naruto?"

All eyes, including Sasuke's, focused on the old man.

He blinked a few times and looked at Naruto. "Eh? You didn't tell them, gaki?"

Naruto rubbed at the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "I don't really know, either, jiji."

Tazuna burst out laughing and Inari looked shocked. "What do you mean, you don't know?" the boy practically squawked. "How could you not know what you did for us? For this town? You're our hero!"

Naruto blinked wide eyes at the boy. "Hero?" Then a slow smile, like the one in the mission office, spread across his face. "I thought heros didn't exist, crybaby."

"Heh." Inari grinned. "You don't know anything. Of course they do."

Sakura was ninja enough to know that she was missing something in the exchange.

"I don't understand," she said, glancing between her teammate and Inari.

Tazuna chuckled and took a drink. "It'll be easiest if we start from the beginning."

* * *

Nami no Kuni was small, supported by the trade ships that found its port a safe haven in their routes between Lightning, Water, and countries farther south. Smaller ships plying a more local trade rested beside their larger sisters. Tazuna himself was in charge of constructing a bridge to support overland trade as well. The country was diminished from its former glory by the Second Great Ninja War, but prosperous enough.

Until Gato came.

_Tazuna paused in his work on the bridge and eyed the group walking along the adjacent seawall. It consisted of the owner of one of the local shipping companies and three men he didn't know–one who was very short with bushy red hair and sunglasses. "Who's that?" he asked._

_His friend, the owner of a dock and a warehouse, ceased his hammering. "Oh, some businessman named Gato. Kobiyashi is selling to him." _

"The_ Gato? The shipping magnate? Huh." Tazuna shrugged and went back to work._

Soon, Gato owned a sizable chunk of waterfront and many of the local trade ships. There were whispers of discontent, rumors that not all the properties had been acquired legally, but no real proof. His friend was one of those who scoffed at the rumors and refused to sell.

_Tazuna stared at the remains of his friend's home, still smoldering in the early morning light. His friend had been inside, along with his friend's wife, son, and daughter-in-law. She had been carrying their first child. None of them had gotten out. _

Things went downhill. The threats and the violence couldn't be linked directly to Gato, but everyone knew he was behind it. The local lords were usually the ones that kept the peace, but their men were either bought off or targeted. Supplies ran low; prices soared. Everyone struggled.

And then, when everyone thought things couldn't get worse...they did.

_The only thought that penetrated the shock in Tazuna's mind was that Gato obviously didn't care about being careful anymore. Obviously, since Kaiza–beaten, bloody, _mutilated–_was lashed to a cross in front of the entire town and was about to be killed. Tazuna didn't hear the evil little man's words or see his thugs' sadistic smirks. All he could see was his son-in-law's battered face and the gentle expression on it, directed at Inari. _

Too young! _his mind screamed. _He's too young to see this!

_But Tazuna did nothing, just stood by his grandson's side and watched the sword arc through the air, watched the blood spatter. Watching was all he _could _do, as Kaiza died a hero's death._

* * *

Shocked silence.

Sakura was horrified. Kakashi and Sasuke looked angry. Naruto was frowning, and the small family just looked sad.

Tazuna sighed and continued. "After that, I knew it was too risky to keep working on the bridge without any protection, so I stopped. If Gato believed I had given up, he wouldn't come after me right away. I used the time to gather what money I could. Then I left for Konoha, intending to hire ninja to protect me and the bridge until it was finished. I was on my way there when I met Jiraiya-sama and Naruto."

Naruto snickered, breaking the sombre atmosphere that had settled over the clearing. "You got in a bar fight with Sensei," he said. "Over a bottle of sake."

Tazuna frowned at the blonde. "Yes, well, the point is, when Jiraiya-sama learned where I was going, he offered his and his student's services."

Naruto outright laughed. "You asked if he wanted the job after he strung you up in the nearest tree by your ankles. You said he seemed 'pretty strong'."

Tazuna glowered. "Gaki! They don't need to know about _that_." Sakura giggled, glad for at least a little humor in this bleak tale. Everyone else around the fire seemed to feel the same way, judging by Sasuke's relaxed shoulders, Kakashi's crinkled eye, and Tsunami's and Inari's smiles. "_Anyway_, I still got Konoha ninja, without the trouble of going all the way there."

Naruto snorted. "And without paying full price for them, either."

Tazuna grinned. "That too. Not that I had much choice. Wave could barely scrape together enough money for the bridge itself."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"The old man told us we were just protecting him from bandits and stuff, not other ninja," Naruto explained.

"Basically, he paid you for a C-rank mission when it was really B or A," Kakashi clarified.

"Well, technically I didn't know if Gato had sent ninja after me or not," Tazuna defended.

Naruto scoffed. "Maybe, but you knew he _would_, once he figured out what you were doing."

Tazuna had no comeback for that; he just grumbled and took another drink.

Naruto smirked and took up the tale. "Sensei was kind of suspicious from the start, but he went along with it. Until those two Mist nukenin attacked us. That's when the old man finally came clean." He shrugged. "But we'd already made a deal, so we continued the mission anyway." He grinned. "It was more fun that way."

Sakura shook her head. Naruto had the oddest idea of _fun_.

"Mist nukenin?" Kakashi questioned.

"Aa. A couple of chuunin. Sensei said they were called the Demon Brothers." Naruto made a disparaging sound. "Demon my ass. They were no match for me."

Sakura bopped him on the head. "Don't cuss in front of Tsunami-san and Inari-chan," she scolded.

Naruto rubbed his head. "Aww, Sakura-chan," he whined. "It's not like they haven't heard it before."

She blinked at him a couple times and shook her head. "Baka," she muttered, her lips curving up despite herself.

He grinned at her, entirely unrepentant.

"I remember when Jiraiya-sama sent the Demon Brothers' heads to be forwarded to Kiri," Kakashi said genially, as if it was no big deal for the Hokage to unseal a scroll and have a couple of severed heads appear on his desk. And it wasn't, really. "Hokage-sama was impressed that Jiraiya's mysterious student had defeated them when he was just thirteen."

Naruto ducked his head and scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the praise. "Yeah, well, stupid Sensei made me do all the work," he mumbled. "Except the decapitating part, he did that himself."

Discussing beheadings may not have been unusual for ninja, but it was for civilians, and Sakura could see they were distinctly uncomfortable. Even Inari was looking a bit pale.

She cleared her throat. Time to move the conversation along. "That _is_ impressive, Naruto," she echoed, which was true. _She_ wouldn't have been able to defeat a couple chuunin when she was thirteen. "What happened next?"

Naruto looked up. "Uh, well, we went on to the old man's house. About a week later, a Kumo nukenin showed up at the bridge." Naruto's expression grew sad. "Sensei fought him, 'cause he was a jonin. He was a really good ninja, and not a bad guy. But he was no match for a Sannin. It really sucked that Sensei had to kill him." Naruto sighed and shook his head a bit, as if shaking off his melancholy. "After that, Gato got a little desperate, I think. He sent a couple of his goons to kidnap Tsunami-ba-chan, but they weren't any trouble to get rid of, with Inari's help." He winked at the boy sitting next to him, and Inari flushed. "I wanted to just get rid of Gato and be done with it, but Sensei said killing Gato wasn't part of the mission, unless the jerk directly threatened the old man." Naruto snorted. "I thought that was dumb. I mean, we all knew he was behind everything, so killing him _would _protect jiji. But Sensei said ninja have to be very careful about making judgements and acting outside the mission parameters, 'cause we rarely know the whole story. He told me to be patient, that Gato would get frustrated and screw up, and then we'd get him." He sighed. "He was right, but it was hard to sit around, waiting for Gato's next move."

To Sakura's surprise, Sasuke nodded. He hardly ever showed interest in the conversations around him, even when he was listening carefully. But then, she supposed he could relate to the situation. He wasn't a terribly patient person himself, and would have been equally frustrated had he been in Naruto's position.

"Luckily, I didn't have to wait long," Naruto continued. "A couple days later, Gato himself showed up at the bridge with a bunch of his goons. I guess he thought quantity over quality would do the trick." Naruto snorted. "Idiot. It was just what we were waiting for. Sensei says if you cut off the head of a snake, the body will die. So he took him out. Right in the middle of Gato's stupid rant. It was _awesome._" Naruto smirked, that same contented, predatory expression Sakura had seen on the road on their way to Wave. The light from the fire flickered over his face, glinting off his eyes and his teeth, and it made him look _dangerous._

But just for a moment, because he shrugged and the look vanished. "And that was that, really. The villagers showed up, the thugs ran, and Sensei and I went back to Hi no Kuni."

"It seems to me the bridge should be named after Jiraiya-sama, then," Sasuke broke in. "Since he killed your ultimate enemy." He quirked an eyebrow at Tazuna, the faintest smirk lifting his lips. "Right?"

Sakura glanced thoughtfully at the Uchiha. How much of the conversation between Naruto and herself had Sasuke heard? Judging by his expression, enough to know it was really Naruto who killed Gato.

Tazuna shook his head. "It didn't have anything to do with who killed who," he said. "We named the bridge after Naruto because he did something far more important than beat up a few bad guys." He nodded at the blonde. "He gave us hope again."

Sasuke's eyebrow rose further, inviting an explanation.

"The whole town changed after Kaiza was killed," Tazuna elaborated. "He was considered a hero, and if someone as strong as him couldn't stand against Gato, what chance did the rest of us have? None. So everyone gave up, lost their courage. Lost their hope."

"Yeah. I remember all the crap Inari said when we first came," Naruto remarked and looked at the boy. "You went on and on about how nobody could defeat Gato and we'd just die if we tried. It really pissed me off."

Inari scowled. "Don't tell them what a punk I was, nii-san," he grumbled.

Naruto grinned. "Do you remember what I said back to you?"

Inari scoffed. "I'll never forget." He turned to Sakura. "I told Naruto-nii-san he didn't understand anything. 'Cause he was always smiling and cheerful, I said he didn't know how hard life could be. He just looked at me, with his eyes all narrow; I thought he was gonna attack me. And then he said, 'It takes a really big man to sit around and cry, you little brat. So go ahead, wallow in your own self-pity. Stay weak. I don't care.'"

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, a little shocked. "That was really harsh!"

"No, it's ok, Sakura-san," Inari said. "I needed to hear it. I mean, he was right. I didn't get it right away, though. I stormed out, but Jiraiya-sama found me later, and he explained some things to me. He told me Naruto-nii-san understood how I felt, since he'd been left alone when he was really young, but despite that, Jiraiya-sama had never once seen him cry. He told me nii-san knew that crying and being pessimistic all the time never made anything better. That nii-san understood what it meant to be strong."

Naruto was staring at him. "He told you all that?"

"Aa," Inari replied. He cocked his head. "You didn't know?"

"No."

"Oh, well, it really made me think." Inari shrugged. "Then, when Gato's men came for kaa-san, I realized you were right. I didn't want to sit around and cry anymore. I wanted to be strong, like you and tou-san." He ducked his head, a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

"And you were, ne?" Naruto grinned and ruffled the younger boy's hair. "You distracted those two jerks at just the right time. Made it easy for me to take 'em out."

"I guess," Inari mumbled, still embarrassed.

"When Gato attacked the bridge, Inari went from house to house in the village, trying to get everyone together to fight with Jiraiya-sama and Naruto," Tsunami said. "It was hard at first, but he didn't give up." She smiled fondly at her son.

"It didn't matter that by the time everyone showed up at the bridge, Gato was dead and his gang too scared to do anything," Tazuna said. "The point was that the town had regained the will to stand up and fight. But only because of Naruto." He grinned and took a swig of sake. "That's why we named the bridge after him. Understand?"

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, then looked away. "Hn."

Naruto chuckled nervously. "It's no big deal, really."

Tazuna shook his head. "It's a big deal to us, gaki," he said. "Don't sell yourself short." He stood and stretched. "It's getting late. You gonna walk us home?"

* * *

Naruto did indeed walk them home. Tsunami and Inari disappeared into the house after the boy extracted a promise from Naruto that he would visit again before he returned to Konoha. Tazuna hung back, wanting a few words with the young blonde. He motioned for Naruto to follow him and walked along the dock, away from the house.

"What's up, jiji?" Naruto questioned, his hands linked behind his head.

Tazuna sighed and wondered where to start. He wasn't really good at this sort of thing. "I want you to know that I meant what I said to your team, about why we named the bridge for you. It really had nothing to do with Gato." He chuckled. "Not that we aren't grateful for that, too."

Naruto shrugged and smiled easily. "Sure. I believe you, old man."

Tazuna sighed again. He didn't know if Naruto really believed him or not, but he wasn't about to keep harping on it. "Does your team know what really happened?"

Naruto's smile faded and he shrugged again. "I told Sakura-chan. Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei were close enough to hear me. So yeah, they know."

Tazuna nodded. "Good." He looked out over the water, gathering his thoughts before he continued. "I'm not disgusted by what you did to Gato," he said finally. "It was a gruesome death, but that son-of-a-bitch deserved it." He continued in a quieter voice. "The only reason why I told everyone Jiraiya-sama killed him, instead of you, is because...well...you were thirteen." He glanced at the blonde, who avoided his gaze. "I know that a kid killing somebody isn't all that unusual for ninja, but the thought still makes me cringe. And I'm old enough to remember the hidden village that used to be in this country. Most of the villagers aren't. What they know of the ninja lifestyle comes from romance novels." He looked back over the water. "I didn't want to see how they–how _Inari_–would react to the reality. I didn't want to tell them a thirteen-year-old had splattered a man all over the place, and watch them go from admiring and liking you to being uneasy and fearing you. Not when you'd done so much for all of us. You deserve better than that, and they're happier with their illusion." He shrugged again. "But I'm glad you told your team. It wouldn't be a big deal to fellow ninja."

He looked over at Naruto again. The blonde was staring at him now, his eyes wide. "You were...protecting me?" he questioned.

Tazuna blinked a couple times. He hadn't thought about it like that, but..."I guess," he replied, with a little smile. "I didn't want to see you, or them, hurt."

Naruto stared at him a bit longer, then, to Tazuna's shock, he bowed. "Arigatou, Tazuna-san."

"Heh." Tazuna scratched his cheek, nonplussed. "You're welcome, gaki."

Naruto rose and grinned. "It's getting late. I should head back–and you need your beauty sleep, jiji."

"Why you-!" Tazuna attempted to smack the blonde in the head, but he easily ducked out of the way and started jogging backwards down the dock.

"See you later, old man!" he called.

"Night, brat!" Tazuna replied, waving.

Naruto returned the wave and disappeared.

* * *

The night was still as Naruto made his way towards the trees that signified dry land and the caravan camp. He took his time, not particularly eager to return when he wanted to contemplate Tazuna's words in solitude.

He was glad the old man wasn't afraid of him, despite what he'd done on the bridge, and that Tazuna didn't want anyone else in the village to be afraid of him, either. The bridge builder had been kinda twitchy after the final confrontation, and then he'd told everyone Jiraiya had killed Gato. The Toad Sage had gone along with it, and made sure Naruto did too. The blonde hadn't known what to think. So, it was good to hear Tazuna's reasons. The Hokage had been right; he really did have friends in Wave. Maybe he'd tell Tazuna the whole truth about himself someday, if the Hokage gave him permission. After all, the old man had already seen just what Naruto was capable of...

_He was so angry. That kami-damned Gato bastard was just standing there with that stupid, smug look, like he had every right to threaten them, and Tazuna, and the villagers with his crowd of equally stupid, pathetic thugs._

_Naruto wanted nothing more than to wipe that expression right off his ugly face. For Inari. For Tsunami. For _everyone_._

_His demon half just wanted to shed blood._

_He stepped forward, barely listening to the man's irritating voice drone on. The words only made him angrier, as did the sound of the man's rotten heart beating in his chest. Naruto could feel his chakra bubbling beneath his skin, his instincts rising in response to the intensity of his feelings. His eyes would turn red in a minute. He could already feel his nails lengthening, his canines sharpening. _

_Jiraiya looked at him sharply, probably feeling his youki leaking into the air around him. He didn't quite care at the moment. _

"_Can I kill him _now,_ Sensei? Please?" He was whining like a brat, but he didn't care about that either. He wanted Gato _dead_._

_Jiraiya's eyes narrowed on him. Then, the big man shrugged, and turned back to look at Gato and the thugs arrayed on the other end of the bridge. "Go ahead. If he's gone, his men might not be so eager to fight."_

_Naruto smiled, a feral, dangerous grin, and took another step forward._

_He could hear the clones he'd made to guard Tazuna practically panting behind him. Too much youki and they'd pop. He ignored them. This would all be over in a moment._

_Another step, and his crimson eyes fixed on the vile creature standing at the very back of the crowd of goons._

_Naruto was pleased when Gato's eyes widened behind his stupid little glasses and his voice trailed off. He took a step backwards._

_Naruto lifted his hand, palm out, fingers splayed. It wouldn't do for the slimy little bastard to _run.

_Gato's eyes got wider as he realized he couldn't move. His heart beat erratically. Naruto's smile widened. It was a fraction of the fear and pain that the tycoon had inflicted on the people of this town, but it was something._

"_I'm going to kill you now," Naruto said, loud enough for everyone on the bridge to hear. And before anyone could react, he did. _

_It was a move he'd been working on when he was training alone. Now seemed like the perfect time to test it._

_He clenched his hand into a fist, then flicked his fingers open._

_Gato exploded._

_It wasn't hard, really, to call all the blood out of a body at once. It just took some practice._

_All that was left were bits of flesh and bone, tattered cloth, and blood splattered across the bridge and the nearest thugs. _

_Gato's men stared at him with undisguised horror as acrid fear-scent saturated the air. Somebody in the back retched._

_Naruto smirked lazily and let his hand drop to his side. He felt much better._

"_Gaki." Jiraiya's voice sounded odd, and Naruto glanced at him, the smirk dropping away. _

"_Yes, Sensei?" he asked, his head tilted in question._

_Jiraiya couldn't quite meet his eyes, and it was then Naruto realized a little of the fear-scent was coming from him, too. _

_Naruto looked down at his feet, willing the youki away, watching as the claws on his hands turned back into nails. He felt no qualms about killing Gato, but he didn't want his teacher to be afraid of him. Ever. _

_Silence._

_And then an arrow soared over their heads and landed at the feet of the closest thug. Naruto didn't need to look behind him to know it was Inari and a good portion of the villagers._

"_Stop where you are!" someone yelled. "This island is our home! One step further, and you'll die where you stand!"_

_Naruto ignored the clamor as the goons fled and the villagers cheered, keeping his eyes on his feet. _

_Until a heavy hand dropped on his head and ruffled his hair. He looked up, into Jiraiya's dark eyes. "You did good, gaki," the Toad Sage said quietly._

_Naruto smiled, the dull ache in his chest eased. "Thanks, Sensei."_

Naruto sighed and ran his hands briskly through his hair, rubbing at his scalp.

Tazuna was right that his team would be able to accept the truth much more easily than civilians. At least, they'd accept the fact that he _had_ killed. Even if he'd been at liberty to tell them _how _he'd done it, he didn't think he wanted to. He remembered Jiraiya's fear all too well, and he wasn't sure he could stand it from his teammates.

_"...It wouldn't be a big deal to fellow ninja..."_

_It's not that simple, jiji._

They may be able to accept what he _did_, but what he _was_–that was a different matter all together._  
_

* * *

Kakashi leaned back, his chair propped against the wall behind him and his feet resting comfortably on the wooden side of the traders' stall. They had been in Wave for five days of their week-long stay and had settled into a routine. Bandits weren't a problem on the island itself, but there were still thieves of a less-organized variety. Therefore, three Leaf shinobi stayed with the caravan outside of town each day and one came with a small trading party onto the main market dock. They hadn't had any trouble, except for one incident where a couple local boys tried to swipe something on a foolish dare.

Sasuke had not been amused.

In fact, he'd scared the poor kids so badly that _they_ had led _him_ to the local authorities, finding them to be less threatening than the Uchiha. Smart boys.

Today, it was Kakashi's turn to guard their clients' stall, and what a beautiful day it was. The sky was a shade of crisp blue that only seemed possible in the fall, with a few puffy white clouds for contrast. The sun shone benevolently, preventing the salt-scented breeze from becoming too chilly. Gulls cried as they soared above the town.

Kakashi sighed contentedly to himself from behind his book. It was a good day.

"Reading again, Kakashi-san?"

The jonin looked up and grinned. "Aa. It's one of my favorite parts."

Michi smiled back at him. "I quite enjoyed that book myself."

The caravan leader had gone from being slightly skeptical of the Konoha ninja to completely confident in their abilities, even though he hadn't seen them in action yet. Kakashi thought this was in large part due to the confirmation that Naruto really was the person the bridge was named for. It was rather amusing, but as long as it meant the silver-haired man got to read his precious book in peace, he didn't care.

"To be honest, I didn't think you were the sort of man that read such serious things," Michi confessed.

"Well, you know what they say, Michi-san. Don't judge a book by its cover," Kakashi replied, eye crinkling. _Literally and figuratively._

Michi laughed. "True, true. I think that applies to shinobi most of all, ne?"

Kakashi inclined his head. "Aa."

Minato didn't care if he openly read porn around the village, but on a mission representing said village...that was a different story. Ninja were sneaky, though–and Kakashi was an excellent ninja. It had taken him about five seconds to come up with the idea to disguise his Icha Icha novel as something more acceptable. So, whenever he left Konoha, the orange book sported the dust jacket from _The Samurai _by Endō Shusaku. Honestly, the charade probably didn't fool the Hokage at all, but as long as Kakashi didn't get caught, his sensei wouldn't say anything.

Michi chatted with him a bit more about the modern classic he was supposedly reading, then turned back to straightening the merchandise. Kakashi did a quick scan of the area. His gaze swept over the other booths, tents, and stalls that lined the road between the permanent store fronts. He took in the locals, the merchants, men, women, and children walking, talking, haggling, and playing on the busy dock. He saw the three ninja walking down the middle in a loose group.

His gray eye returned to his book, with nary a twitch or a gasp or any other sign he'd even seen the other shinobi, let alone felt alarmed by them.

But inside his mind was racing.

What the hell were _they_ doing so far from home? Probably guarding merchants, just as he was. The only land route to Wave led through Fire Country and the treaty prohibited such border crossings, which meant they must have come by ship. That was good; they had no reason to come near the caravan camp, on the opposite side of town from the main harbor. Naruto was supposed to guard the stall tomorrow, but that could be changed. And his team would be heading back to Konoha the day after that. There was a chance he could get Naruto out of here without them ever seeing the blonde.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Scratch that. There was no chance.

Damn it.

He looked up at his sensei's son, who'd materialized in front of him holding a cloth-wrapped bento in one hand. "Lunch time!"

Though he wasn't looking directly at them, Kakashi saw the instant the Iwa shinobi spotted him.

And, more importantly,_ Naruto. _

They froze, and then melted into the crowd. Not that Kakashi had any trouble tracking them. Chuunin, most likely.

"Naruto," he greeted cheerily, but he didn't smile. He needed to keep his eye open. "I thought Sakura was bringing my lunch today."

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah, well, she asked me if I'd mind doing it instead. She was working on that new doton you taught her."

Kakashi nodded and held his hand out. "I see. Thank you."

Naruto frowned as he handed over the bundle, chopsticks tucked neatly on top. "Something wrong, Sensei?" he questioned.

Kakashi debated for a moment. "Three Iwa shinobi," he said quietly. Better that Naruto know and be prepared for the very, _very_ slim chance that the other ninja made a move. Naruto stiffened, head automatically turning.

"Don't look," Kakashi ordered. Naruto immediately stopped, his eyes sliding back to Kakashi. "By the fruit stand, the bookseller, and coming this way."

"They've seen us?"

Kakashi nodded.

Naruto's gaze dropped. "Sorry, Sensei," he mumbled.

"Not your fault," Kakashi replied. "You didn't know."

Naruto shrugged and scratched the back of his head. "What do we do?"

"Nothing. They won't try anything. Just pretend you don't know they're there, and be careful on the way back to the caravan."

Naruto nodded. "Hai." He smiled a little. "Have a good lunch."

Kakashi gave a genuine smile back. "Thanks."

With a last nod, Naruto was gone down the dock, smiling and greeting the villagers who called out to him.

Kakashi opened his bento and picked up his book.

And watched.

* * *

The next few days were uneventful, much to Kakashi's and Naruto's relief. Naruto had reported unknowns around their camp twice–the Copy Ninja had felt the unfamiliar chakra, too–but never close enough to be considered a threat. They were only spying, collecting as much information as they could. Two of the Iwa ninja even went so far as to follow them when they left Wave, but it wasn't for very long. They wouldn't have much to report to the Tsuchikage, but he sure had a hell of a lot to report to Minato.

It was on the second day of their return journey that a threat actually materialized, in the form of a rather sizable bandit group. Naruto, of course, sensed them first.

"Kakashi-sensei!" He landed in front of the Copy Ninja, grinning like he'd just gotten a present. "There's a group one hundred meters ahead of us. Twenty, stationary, on both sides of the road."

Kakashi hummed. "An ambush most likely. Tell the others. Formation C22. Sakura and I will take the middle. Don't forget to put on your radios."

Naruto nodded and disappeared.

Kakashi shook his head a little. Naruto got excited about the strangest things...but a little bit of battle lust wasn't a bad thing in a shinobi. Not that this group would be much of a challenge. Bandits were usually civilians. One or two may have ninja training–either nukenin or dropouts from some academy–but they were probably no more than chuunin level. Nothing his team couldn't handle.

"Kakashi-san? Something wrong?"

He turned, eye crinkling as he faced the caravan leader. "Ah, Michi-san! Naruto just informed me there is a group of bandits up ahead, preparing an ambush for us." He held up his hands at Michi's worried looked. "Maa, maa, don't worry about it. This is why you hired us, ne?"

Michi smiled weakly back. "Aa."

"Good! Now here is what I need you to do..."

* * *

Tarou watched, pleased, as the caravan continued to approach his position, hidden in the branches of a tree next to the road. The scout had reported ninja with them, but he hadn't gotten close enough to see what village they were from.

Tarou didn't think it mattered, as they couldn't be very good ninja if they hadn't sensed his group's presence by now. And it didn't seem that they had. The caravan continued its placid pace up the road with no sign of offensive or defensive maneuvers by the shinobi. Oh well. All the better for him.

He held up a hand, waiting until the lead wagon was even with his position, then dropped it. With that signal, the bandits sprang to attack.

And then a voice called, "Doton: Yomi Numa!"

"What?" the bandit leader cried, incredulous as his men sank into the muddy pit the road had become while the caravan seemed to float above the mire.

"Ok, Sakura," the same voice said, the jovial tone grating on Tarou's nerves.

The caravan faded away to reveal two ninja–one tall, silver-haired man and one young, pink-haired woman–standing back-to-back in the road, surrounded by mud and struggling men.

"Genjutsu," Tarou spat through clenched teeth. "Bitch."

His hands were moving through the first seal for the only long-range attack he knew when the man turned his head to stare right at him.

"Are you sure you want to do that, bandit-san?" the man asked, his voice light but his one visible eye steely. The man's hands were poised to move too, and somehow Tarou knew this ninja was much faster than he was. But the thing that really decided it for him was the Leaf symbol on the headband covering the man's left eye.

Tarou turned and ran.

Behind the fleeing outlaw, the man lowered his hands. "Out of the frying pan, into the fire, bandit-san," he remarked quietly. He raised his voice. "How many stayed back on your side, Sakura?"

"Three," the pink-haired woman replied.

"I had two over here," the man stated.

"At least one had ninja training," Sakura said. "Do you think Naruto and Sasuke will be ok?" she asked.

The man waved his hand. "Of course. Have a little faith in your teammates. Now. Do you remember that sleep genjutsu Kurenai taught you?"

The young woman smirked. "Hai, Sensei."

* * *

Tarou jumped through the branches. One of his men blundered along on the ground below him, but he didn't pay much mind. His only concern was getting away from the Leaf shinobi. He wasn't fool enough to think that his meagre ninja skills could measure up to theirs.

The trees opened up in front of him and he jumped to the ground, pausing for a moment to take in the surroundings. Nothing. He allowed himself a deep breath and a sigh of relief. He could rest a moment.

His man burst through the undergrowth a minute later, stumbling to a halt when he caught sight of Tarou.

"Boss!" the man cried.

Tarou gestured sharply, to cut off any unnecessary rambling. "Shut up. Catch your breath, and then we'll head back to the base."

"I don't think so."

The shadows behind his man moved, and the bandit crumpled to the ground. Tarou could only stare at the figure that appeared, hand still raised from the strike that had knocked his man out.

This new ninja had black hair and black eyes and his voice was low and cold. And he was Leaf.

"Damn Konoha," Tarou muttered as he backed away, trying to ascertain his best escape route. He needed a distraction.

He started the seals for the same long-range attack he'd attempted before. This time, his opponent said nothing, only raised one thin eyebrow.

Tarou brought his hand to his lips, and it was then the ninja spoke.

"You want to play with fire?" the dark-haired man questioned. "Fine."

And even as Tarou breathed out, expelling his fireball, his opponent mimicked the motions, so fast his hands were a blur, and produced a ball of flame easily three times the size of Tarou's.

The bandit stared, terrified, as the other ninja's jutsu engulfed his and expanded, into a fireball of truly gigantic proportions. Heading straight for him.

He gasped and dodged, diving at the last minute to get out of the way. As it was, he felt the heat of the monstrous jutsu sear his skin as it roared past him. He made to stand, but the feel of cold steel against his throat froze him in place.

The Leaf ninja stood over him, staring down with unreadable eyes and the point of a katana pressed to his neck. "Who are you?" Tarou muttered.

A faint smirk twisted the ninja's lips. "Uchiha Sasuke."

Tarou's eyes widened.

The Uchiha's other hand blurred and pain exploded at Tarou's temple for just a moment before he slipped into blissful darkness.

* * *

"Tch." Sasuke sneered at the limp body of the bandit. What an idiot.

He spared a glance for the fireball that had almost reached the other side of the clearing. He frowned. It would probably set the trees on fire, and he'd have to get Kakashi to-

Everything seemed to happen at once.

Another bandit crashed out of the bushes, directly in the path of the flames. Two hands erupted from the ground and pulled the bandit down until only his head was showing, even as another, terribly familiar figure rose in his place. Naruto stood grinning at the buried bandit, hands on hips, back to the fire.

Sasuke stared, horrified.

_He doesn't know it's there. _

"N-Naruto!" he cried, panic lacing his voice, even as the blonde frowned and started to turn.

_He can't see it. Can't he hear it?_

Sasuke took a few steps forward, even though it was futile.

_It's too close._ _He can't dodge... _

Naruto's eyes were wide at the sight of the ball of flame bearing down on him.

_...I can't save him. _

"_NO!"_

The blonde's lips moved in a mumbled curse before he dropped to the ground and the fire swallowed him up.

Sasuke stood, frozen, disbelieving. Had that just happened? Did he really just severely injure or even...do something worse to...his own fucking teammate?

He started running, before the fireball had completely broken apart against the trees. If the blonde was even still alive, he'd need medical attention right away. He tried to steel himself for the sight of a blackened, charred corpse, only to stop again, so fast he thought he might give himself whiplash. His mouth fell open in utter and profound shock.

"N-Naruto?"

This time his voice was hesitant and unsure.

His blonde teammate was rising from his hunched position, unwrapping his arms from the buried bandit's head. He scratched sheepishly at the back of his neck. "Eh, heh. Gomen, Sasuke. That was my fault."

And Sasuke was moving again, unwilling to believe his eyes. The blonde wasn't even _singed_. He'd been directly hit by one of the Uchiha Clan's most powerful fire jutsus– fueled with the extra chakra from the smaller, weaker jutsu it had absorbed–and he _wasn't even singed_. What the fuck had the dobe done?

His hands latched onto Naruto's biceps, and his eyes roamed the blonde's figure. No angry red or charred black like he had feared. Not even a hair on the blonde's head was curled. It was like it had never happened.

His black eyes locked with blue. "Why aren't you hurt?" he demanded. He tried to go for calm and collected, but it came out slightly panicked. His heart was still pounding from the adrenaline.

_You should be dead, I thought I killed you, Ifuckingkilledyou!_

Naruto stared at him and his expression softened a little. "I'm immune to fire, Sasuke," he said quietly. "You could throw katon jutsu at me all day and I'd never be hurt." He paused. "I'm sorry I worried you."

Sasuke clenched his jaw, and his grip on the blonde tightened for one instant.

Then he punched him in the face.

"Damn it, teme!" Naruto cried from the ground, rubbing his cheek. "What the hell was that for?"

"You idiot!" Sasuke yelled, all his fear morphing pretty quickly into anger. "You aren't supposed to be here!" The black-haired teen waved vaguely behind himself. "You're supposed to be on the other side of the road! Formation C22! You told me yourself!"

Naruto stared up at him with wide eyes. "Well, yeah," he said. "But-"

"You decided to change things again, didn't you?" Sasuke interrupted. "Damn it, Naruto! How many times do we have to say it? You can't just do that without telling your team!" He jabbed a finger at the radio around his neck. "Why do you think Kakashi made us wear these? Otherwise, shit like this happens! What if you weren't immune to fire? What if I'd used a raiton? You'd be dead! _I would have killed you!_" Sasuke was panting now, his fists clenched tight. He never lost it like this. Never. But Naruto...kami, Naruto would have _died_.

He may refuse to care...but he didn't want the blonde _dead_.

Said blonde stared at him for a moment. "I understand, Sasuke. Gomen nasai," he said seriously. But then he grinned. "At least I got the bad guy, ne?" He gestured to the bandit.

Sasuke's relief was almost enough to overpower his annoyance. Almost. His eye twitched, even as he reached out. "Hn."

Naruto took his hand, grumbling about moody bastards as Sasuke hauled him to his feet, and the Uchiha had to fight a smile.

The idiotic urge disappeared though, as a thought occurred to him. "How are you immune to fire?" It certainly explained why Naruto never seemed to get burned during training. Sasuke had assumed Naruto protected himself with a water jutsu, but obviously there was more to it than that.

"Oh, well..." Naruto scratched at the back of his head again. "It's something I got from my mother. Remember I told you she was really good with fire?"

"A jutsu?"

"Noooo...it's just something we can do."

Sasuke stared. "A kekkei genkai?"

Naruto looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Uhhh...well..."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but any plans of beating the information out of the blonde were quickly discarded as their third teammate landed next to them.

"Are you guys ok?" Sakura asked, looking concerned. "What happened to your face, Naruto?"

The blonde chuckled. "Oh, nothing, Sakura-chan. It's fine." But he didn't stop her as she lifted a green-glowing hand to his jaw.

Sasuke smirked, though his expression slid to blankness as Sakura turned to him. "Sasuke-kun?"

He sniffed and shook his head. "Hn."

She sighed. "Ok." Then she smiled. "Sensei said to bring these-" she gestured to the bandits scattered unconscious around the clearing "-to the road. We'll leave them tied up there. Sensei has already sent a message to the nearest outpost. They'll take care of them."

Sasuke nodded and Naruto gave the kunoichi a thumbs up. "Sure thing, Sakura-chan." Then he ambled off, already pulling a ball of cord out of one of his pouches.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed again. It looked like he'd have to wait to find out what he wanted to know.

* * *

Minato listened patiently as his son's team reported on their latest mission. The report for a simple C-rank that had been completed to the satisfaction of the client was not normally given to the Hokage in person, but Kakashi had made the request.

So Minato waited, and watched.

He saw the quick look Naruto shot Kakashi as the jonin finished up the report, and he saw the way Naruto's eyes lingered nervously on him as he smiled and praised their performance. That smile faded as soon as the door shut behind the four, and he sat in silence for a few moments, staring hard at the space in front of him. Then, without turning his head, he asked, "What happened?"

A beat of silence from the seemingly-empty room.

"A team from Iwa spotted Naruto."

Minato swore, one quiet but vicious expletive. He turned to the silver-haired man perched in his window. "Did they make contact?"

Kakashi shook his head. "But they followed us when we left. Only a few kilometers. They wouldn't have risked coming too far inside Fire Country's borders, even for a juicy tidbit like Naruto."

Minato snorted. "Even a few kilometers was a risk." He sighed, resignedly. "I had hoped for more time."

Kakashi nodded. "I know. But there's nothing to be done about it now. They first saw him five days ago. If they sent a message right away, the Tsuchikage will have the information by now."

"Mmm...but they probably waited, to gather more intelligence. They wouldn't have bothered with following you otherwise. You left three days ago?"

Kakashi nodded.

"That was probably when they sent it. We have a day, maybe two, before Ōnoki sees it. Unless we're really lucky and they wait to make the report in person." He glanced at his student. Kakashi stared blankly back at him. Minato sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, I don't think they'll do that, either."

"Will he make an attempt right away?" Kakashi questioned.

Minato thought for a moment, leaning back in his chair and pressing his fingertips together in front of his face. "No. He's proud and ruthless, but he's not stupid. He'll want more information. He'll send a spy or two."

"The easiest time to infiltrate will be during the Chuunin Exam," Kakashi pointed out.

Minato frowned. "Don't I know it. But they won't be held until spring. He might not want to wait that long."

Kakashi hummed. "The Winter Festival, then?"

Minato contemplated. "Hmmm, maybe."

Kakashi's eye crinkled up. "Well, then, we'll just have to be on our toes."

The Yondaime smiled back, but it wasn't a particularly friendly smile. "Aa. We will."

* * *

Author's Note:

_Yomi Numa–Swamp of the Underworld_

_'The Samurai' by Endō Shusaku is a real book. It was published in 1980 to great critical acclaim, and the author received the prestigious Noma Prize for it. It's the complete opposite of what I picture the Icha Icha series to be, which is why I picked it. _

_Thanks to everyone who's still reading, despite my horrible delay in getting this chapter posted. _


End file.
